The City of St. Catharines shone the spotlight last night on community volunteers’ dedicated service at the annual St. Catharines Volunteer Recognition Awards.
Recipients of the new Mayor’s Lifetime Volunteer Service Award, Mayor’s Volunteer of the Year Award, Margaret and Robin MacLennan Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, and Community Impact Award were greeted and celebrated by City staff, Councillors and Mayor Mat Siscoe.
“On behalf of the St. Catharines City Council, I’d like to thank the many volunteers who share their time, talent and treasure to make our city a better place, each and every day,” Siscoe said. “Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees for their outstanding contributions and thank you for enhancing the quality of life of our residents, through your selfless service.”
Brenda Zadoroznij is the inaugural recipient of the Mayor’s Lifetime Volunteer Service Award. The award honours an individual who has dedicated 20 years or more to volunteerism, making a lasting impact on their community through selfless service. This recognition celebrates their extraordinary contributions, recognizing them as a pillar of generosity and compassion in the community.
Zadoroznij has volunteered at the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre twice a week for the past 36 years where she assists with inventory, artifact organization, object searches, and labelling and entering information into databases and spreadsheets in the museum’s collection section. She was part of a team in the 1990s that moved 10,000 boxes from the former Merritton Town Hall museum location to its current Lock 3 complex. And she is a member of the sewing bee that has created dust-free covers for antique furniture, paintings and clothing to help preserve the community’s historic treasures.
Abbas Faramarz is the recipient of the 2025 Mayor’s Volunteer of the Year Award for his selfless service to Bridges Niagara Immigrant and Refugee Services since his arrival in Canada. The Mayor’s Volunteer of the Year award is presented to an individual who represents volunteerism at its finest level. Faramarz supports Bridges’ staff as a dedicated volunteer interpreter for Farsi-speaking clients, helps seniors gain essential technology skills in the Digital Skills for Seniors Program, and provides guidance and mentorship to youth as they navigate their personal and academic challenges as part of the Youth Services program.
The 2025 Margaret and Robin MacLennan Youth Volunteer of the Year Award was again this year presented to two recipients – Brianna Troy for her work with Positive Living Niagara, and Quinn Harley for his work with Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold. The annual award recognizes reliable and enthusiastic youth ages 24 and younger who have volunteered at least one year or 100 hours with one or more organizations and who have demonstrated a sincere commitment to community service.
Troy has dedicated more than 200 volunteer hours to Positive Living Niagara while completing her Bachelor of Critical Criminology with Honours. She has led key events, including a French Language Service Provider Breakfast for 45 people and the World AIDS Day Vigil with 88 attendees.
Harley has been a junior ambassador for Community Care St. Catharines and Thorold since he was six. When COVID struck and Harley heard about people losing their jobs and not having enough to eat, he asked his loved ones to donate to people in need rather than give him birthday gifts – and Fill the Bin for Quinn was born. The program continues to provide families in need with non-perishables, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, meal kits, emergency supplies, hygiene and toiletry products and baby items, such as diapers, food and formula.
The City also presented the 2025 Community Impact Award to more than 50 additional outstanding individuals for their volunteer efforts. A complete list of 2025 award recipients can be found at stcatharines.ca/VolunteerAwards.