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The community public program is a wonderful program that's been around for more than 10
years and recognizes ordinary people who do extraordinary things in our community. Today
we're recognizing the 2013 community builder award recipients. Today is the day that their
name gets to be put on this wall, the Scotiabank wall of inspiration. Over the years we've
handed out more than 800 community builder awards. Take a look at this wall, their names
are all inscribed down below and today we're recognizing 37 people that we handed out awards
to in 2013. I'm John Helmkay, I'm the creator and producer
of the "cracking up the capital" for mental health comedy festival. I'm a recipient of
the2013 community builder award for the United Way. Our names, myself and many, many other
worthy recipients have just been added to the 2013 pile. I think the great thing about
the United Way and the great thing about this Wall of Inspiration concept is it does talk
about community, and we know it's the people in the community that really build and help
the members of the community when they need the assistance. This past summer I was actually
surprised in Sparks street mall when I received the notice of this award and my plaque from
Lucy van Oldenbarneveld. I was going to Sparks street to the coffee shop to have a meeting
I thought, when I walked around the corner onto the mall Lucy and a group of 10 to 12
of our core volunteers were there to greet me and surprise me with the presentation of
this award. I was absolutely floored, I can tell you.