Local News - Wednesday, June 13, 2007 @ 09:00 - The Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) was one of three out of 61 Ontario Community Futures organizations to receive the prestigious OACFDC Achievement Award for outstanding community service last week at the Delawana Inn on Georgian Bay.
The award was sponsored by Desjardins Financial Security.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Northumberland CFDC was Chair Bob Olson.
"It is a real privilege to accept this award on behalf of an incredible team of people," he said to a crowd of nearly three hundred delegates.
The award was part of the proceedings of the annual conference of the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations.
Attending the three-day summit and professional development series was the Federal Minister of Health and Minister responsible for FedNor, the Hon. Tony Clement, the Hon. James K. Bartleman Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, and Director General of FedNor, Industry Canada, Louise Paquette, recently named Northern Ontario's Influential Woman of the Decade.
Conference organizers acknowledged the Northumberland CFDC's "decisive approach" to regional capacity-building through critical contribution in the strategic development of the Northumberland County Department of Economic Development, the Northumberland Manufacturers' Association, the Northumberland Youth Advisory Council and Chambers Northumberland- an alliance of all four area chambers of Commerce.
These regional initiatives have provided powerful top-spin to local community economic development in an integrated approach that has now gained province-wide attention.
The award was handed out during the gala celebration and came with a $250 prize. And what is the Northumberland CFDC doing with the prize money? "The Desjardins prize money will be directed to the 2007 GPS Challenge, which is a Northumberland CFDC-led initiative focusing on eco-tourism, fitness and the outdoors through the innovative use of Global Positioning Systems," said Wendy Curtis, General Manager of the Northumberland CFDC.
"The award itself is truly a testament to the dedication and vision of our stellar volunteer board of directors who work hard to impact opportunities for balanced community economic development throughout Northumberland County. "
