PALMERSTON – Miranda Henry, a Norwell District Secondary School student, received the newly launched Cyndy Dearden Youth Leadership Award created by The Grove Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario.
The award was presented at the Palmerston hub location on March 21 with students and local dignitaries attending.
The hubs act as a safe one-stop-shop for youth mental health and wellness for those aged 12 to 25.
Youth can drop in to connect with friends and also access local supports for substance abuse and mental health issues, as well as services for financial assistance, job hunting, educational help and more.
The Grove Ontario launched the annual award to recognize youth who demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities in their community.
It was created in honour of The Grove’s founder, Cyndy Dearden, whose instrumental efforts have played a key role in making the hubs a reality, officials say.
“We’re so grateful for Cyndy and this beautiful space,” Grove team lead Tiffany Fagan told guests.
Award winner
Three Palmerston students were nominated for the inaugural award, which Fagan said illustrates “we have such strong leaders here in town.”
Other nominees included students Joey Woods and Aiden Pike, who received certificates during the presentation.
“She (Henry) has been integral in some of our other events we participated in and helping create our programming,” Fagan said.
“We’re really grateful for all the contribution that you’ve had here and hopefully you’ll continue with us for a long time.”
All three nominees support and help the Palmerston hub by recruiting youth to join activities, keeping the space clean and volunteering their time.
“I am thrilled to bits to be able to meet you and to be able to see how flourishing this hub is,” Dearden said.
“The three of you have made a big difference and I really appreciate carrying on the legacy.”
Following the presentation, Henry told the Advertiser how hard she worked to get to this point.
“I do try to be a leader. I also really appreciate being able to work at The Grove and meet new people,” Henry said.
Her favourite aspect about the hub is the people, she said, noting they are the reason she comes back.
“I find it’s very welcoming and there aren’t a lot of places very welcoming around here,” Henry added.
One of her many contributions included organizing and recruiting peers to take part in last year’s Santa Claus parade as part of an outreach effort.
“She is actively involved in planning and running events that align with the interest of her peers, ensuring that The Grove remains a vibrant and inclusive space for all,” stated a March 19 press release.
Dearden
“This idea came out of a group of volunteers from a Rotary Club of Guelph meeting back in 2018,” Grove executive director Jeff Hoffman told the Advertiser.
The group wanted to find a way to bring this idea to communities across Wellington County and Guelph.
“And so Cyndy got to work as a volunteer,” Hoffman said. “[She] retired from The Grove a few years ago and we wanted to find a way to recognize Cyndy’s legacy here and what this means for young people.”
Noting Dearden is a “true leader,” he said he could think of no better way to honour her accomplishments.
