Almost 900 PLASP volunteers, students on placement and staff attended PLASP’s Annual Volunteer and Student on Placement Recognition Event at the Mississauga Convention Centre on Thursday, April 20^th, 2017. This event was held to recognize the 1675 PLASP Volunteers and Students on Placement, who contributed 50,000 hours so far this school year.

Guests were taken on a journey across Canada to celebrate our country’s 150^th anniversary - from the Rocky mountains and northern lights, to the wheat fields and the Calgary Stampede, over the Niagara Falls, into the fortified city of Quebec and to the fishing villages of the Atlantic Provinces.

From left to right: Sharon Flood, Manager of Volunteer Services, Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey, 5 year volunteer Connie Siu Wai Yuen (376 hours donated!), Paul Street, President, and Lynn Hiebert, CEO.

Highlights of the evening included the drumming circle hosted by the Coast Tsimshian First Nations, the bubble hockey station, the Celtic dancers and folk music and the Muskoka campfire with a guitar sing-along. An assortment of Canadian food stations were also a hit with the guests in attendance, and included poutine, fish & chips, BC smoked salmon, donuts and coffee and butter tarts.

Guests were welcomed by the Coast Tsimshian First Nations and received warm, meaningful greetings from Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey; Patti Comeau, Coordinator of Student Success, Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and Louise Humphreys, Child Care Manager, Toronto District School Board.

Paul Street, PLASP President, applauded the community leaders, PLASP volunteers and students on placement and PLASP staff, observing that their combined efforts are instrumental in the success of the PLASP Volunteer Program – much like the combined efforts required by the people of the Inuit villages to construct the Inukshuks that serve as community directional markers.

Many thanks to G&A Corporate Inc. for donating Blue Jays tickets and many other prizes. Congratulations to Ricky Boall, who contributed 101 hours this year and won the iPad grand prize.

 It was a night to remember for many! View photos from the evening here.