Mel Hebb Awards
PAANS would like you to help us recognize people in your community who have made a contribution to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in our province by submitting your nominations for the Mel Hebb Hour Glass Action Awards. The Hourglass Action Awards were launched in 1992 during National Access Awareness Week. That year, an hourglass symbolized the spirit of timely action the awards recognize.
In 2000, the name of the Award was changed to the Mel Hebb Hourglass Action Awards in honour of Mr. Melbourne Hebb, a former awards committee chair. Hebb, who passed away in October 1999, was the personification of dedicated action.
2012 Mel Hebb Hourglass Action Award
Exceptional Service Award
- Red Cap Restaurant Female Bantam “A” Hockey Team
Encore Award - Rilla McLean
Community Action Award – The Club
Access Award – Renee Forrestall
Andre McConnell Award – Ronnie LeBlanc
Bio info to come...
2011 Mel Hebb Hourglass Action Award
Lois Miller served as the Executive Director of Independent Living Nova
Scotia for 13 years before she retired early in 2011. She brought to the
position her varied experience in non-profit organizations- as a teacher,
public relations officer, fundraiser, municipal politician and literacy
program coordinator. Lois received an MA in English from Queen’s University,
an Honours BA from the University of Kings College, and from Dalhousie
University both a B.Ed and a certificate in Non-Profit Sector Management
Lois Miller is receiving the Exceptional Service Award for being the driving
force that moved the local Metro Resource Centre to the provincial
Independent Living Nova Scotia. It was through Lois’ vision that the mandate
of the organization was developed and nurtured to ensure persons with
disabilities had access to the information, programs and services(e.g. adult
and student self management, access to community education and employment)
to make informed choices on how to live independently.
Encore Award – Claredon Robicheau
Claredon Robicheau is receiving an Encore Award for his many years
volunteering on committees to improve the quality of life for individuals
with disabilities both locally and nationally. It has been his life time
passion.
Claredon lives in Digby County with his wife Delia. He comes from a family
of 6 siblings, 4 including him are wheelchair users. He attributes his
parents of Acadian decent for his strong work ethic.
Because he was only afflicted by Muscular Dystrophy at the age of 19 he
feels privileged to have played hockey, baseball and was a licensed scuba
diver. Graduating from St. Mary’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce
degree meant a great deal to him along with working for a bank for 12 years.
Claredon now enjoys being a full time volunteer with the Lions Club, Nova
Scotia League for Equal Opportunities, Council of Canadians with
Disabilities, Easter Seals’ Wheelchair Steering Committee and was a member
of the NS Poverty Working Group.
In 1996 he was the founder and pioneer of Nova Scotia’s first community
based transit program, Le Transport de Clare Society. There are now 11 such
programs in Nova Scotia. In 2002 was the recipient of Her Majesty the Queen
Golden Jubilee Medal.
Encore Award – Judith Cabrita
Judith Cabrita had a vision 20 years ago of changing and enhancing the
services provided in Nova Scotia, primarily in the Tourism Industry. Since
then she has championed issues surrounding accessibility in Nova Scotia.
Judith has been involved in the tourism and hospitality industry for the
greater part of her career. Her role in education and training in this field
has set precedents nationwide. She has been a role model for women in the
industry. Judith’s new and exciting ideas have been a welcome contribution
in the ever expanding industry. As tourism was being crowned as this leading
industry globally, Judith has worked to involve the tourism industry private
sector to take on the challenge of competing in this very large market
place.
Judith is a graduate silver medalist of Ryerson Hotel Program, she is a
certified CHA and first President of CHRIE Council on Hotel, Restaurants and
Institution Management.
In 1993 she took on the role of Managing Director of the Tourism Industry
Association of Nova Scotia. Under her management membership has reached an
all time high. She has coordinated programs with the association to deal
with tourism career awareness, responsible beverage programs, environmental
projects, and ongoing tourism and hospitality scholarships. Her diligent
work has allowed her team to work on providing members with a long list of
benefits and services making being a member of TIANS a necessity.
Her background in education has provided employees of TIANS to work within
an environment of constant learning and development. This team now provides
the industry with a bi monthly tourism magazine, member faxes, surveys and
an annual conference which has become one of the largest tourism conferences
in the nation.
Under Judith’s management this team are constantly seeking out ways the
tourism industry can be prepared for the 21st century through human resource
training, technology, partnerships, and services.
Judith’s favorite saying is “Tourism is Everybody’s Business” for her is it
more than a business, it is her passion.
Andre McConnell Award – Joe Rudderham
Joe Rudderham was recently appointed as Director of Apprenticeship in the
Department of Labour and Advanced Education. He spent over 5 years in the
last six years as Director of Post-Secondary Disability Services where he
helped lead the division through significant program and service delivery
changes. This division provides supports and programs that assist persons
with disabilities in college or university programs.
In his role as Director of Post-Secondary Services Joe had the opportunity
to work with many wonderful and dedicated people including André McConnell.
He served on the Disabled Persons Commission for over 5 years as a
representative from Education.
Joe is receiving the Andre McConnell award for his dedication to student
with disabilities who are attending Post-Secondary schools. He is well known
for going out of his way to ensure that students with disabilities get
access to the supports they need to pursue their studies.
In his spare time he has served as President of Skills Canada
Nova Scotia and in 2007 was involved in the development of occupational
skills competitions for persons with disabilities. In this role he was a
founding member of Abilympics Canada Association and past president. This
Association is sending competitors to an international skills competition in
South Korea this September. There, persons with disabilities from Nova
Scotia will be participating in vocational competitions including
photography, digital poster design and cake decorating. This Association
which is rooted in Nova Scotia will have other competitors from across the
country participate in the South Korea competitions.
In terms of education background, Joe has an MBA from Saint Mary's and a
B.Sc. from St. F. X.
Joe is married to his life-long partner Shelley (24 years) and
has three daughters, Jennah Melanie and Meghan.
2010 Mel Hebb Hourglass Action Award Winners
Exceptional Service - Dr. Richard Braha
Dr Richard Braha possesses a desire to make things better for brain injury survivors and their families. This comes across in both words and actions. He has the gift of being able to relate to his patients with empathy, sympathy, and a focus on the positive rather than the negative.
It is this driving philosophy that makes him a credible and respected champion for the expansion and provision of services, programs and supports for brain injury survivors and their families.
With the support of various personnel within Capital Health, Dr Braha has been able to expand the programs and services with the introduction of an Outreach team in January 2010 and a Day Program Team in April 2010.
The Outreach Team is based in the community and provides services to individual (stroke and traumatic brain injury) who require rehabilitative therapy in order to remain in the community. The Day Program Team is implementing its first run of a day program which is primarily group-based supplemented with individual sessions.
Dr Braha’s “how can” attitude combined with his integrity, professionalism, passion and the message and manner in which he advocates for the survivors and families has him held in the highest esteem with everyone involved (past and present) in the Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia.
Encore - Holly Bartlett
Holly Bartlett was nominated posthumously for this award in recognition of her extraordinary contribution to the disability community. Holly died March 28, 2010 as a result of injuries sustained in a fall near her home.
She raised awareness of disability issues-sometimes by speaking out clearly on an issue, but more often without words by showing how she and other persons with disabilities could face and overcome challenges in education and at work and leisure. Ironically, Holly's death raised awareness of disability issues among the general public more effectively than many a news conference, protest or celebration. Stories in The Chronicle Herald and Maclean 's magazine and on radio reached many readers and listeners, and the video Sights Unseen, which has received over 12,000 hits on Y YouTube, has affected members of the public who learned about Holly's many achievements.
Holly gave leadership to the disability community, seeking opportunities to serve. She was a member of the committee for students with disabilities at St. F. x., served on the executive of the National Educational Association of Disabled Students, served for two years on the board of ILNS, and had just become the NS representative to the board of Independent Living Canada. Holly showed the potential of becoming a major community leader.
Holly broke stereotypes with joyful abandon. She demonstrated that persons with disabilities can do the unexpected. Dancing? Rock climbing? Horseback riding? Sky diving? "Why not?" was Holly's response. She showed the able-bodied public that she could do things other young Canadians want to do-sometimes in a unique way but always with stellar results.
MEL HEBB HOURGLASS ACTION AWARD 2009
Andre McConnell
Anthony H. (Tony) Jackson
Tony has been working with Human Resources Skills Development Canada/Service Canada since 1977.
Throughout his 33 year career, he has held positions which include Employment Counsellor, Programs Officer, On Campus Counsellor, Team Leader and Branch Manager in Halifax North. Since June 2000, Tony has worked as a Regional Programs Consultant at the Service Canada, Nova Scotia Regional Headquarters in Dartmouth. His responsibilities include partnerships, persons with disabilities, Opportunities Fund Program, Work Sharing Program, Targeted Wage Subsidies and Job Creation Partnerships. In June 2007, Tony received the National Federal Public Service Award of Excellence for his commitment and work with the Persons with Disabilities Collaborative Partnership Committees and his commitment to people with disabilities in Nova Scotia that supported their success to secure employment opportunities.
MEL HEBB HOURGLASS ACTION AWARD 2009
Andre McConnell
Don Glover
Don Glover, currently the acting director of the Student Services Division, NS Department of Education, has demonstrated unwavering and career-long dedication to meeting the educational needs of children and youth with disabilities. In particular, he has shown a commitment to the need of youth with disabilities to make an effective transition from school to community.
In Don's extensive resume, the words "transition" and "partnership" appear frequently. As a new teacher at Shelburne Regional High School in the 1970s, Don introduced a life skills program for students with disabilities. In his various positions with Shelburne County District and the Southwest Regional school boards, Don set up ·partnerships with community organizations to focus on the transition of youth from school to community. As consultant for Special Education with the Department of Education, he worked with families, school boards and community organizations to establish the first post-secondary transition programs in Nova Scotia for young adults with disabilities, seeking to fill that gap for youth who have finished high school but aren't ready for work or further education.
Don struggled through policy mazes and over funding hurdles until he found ways to make these needed programs available. Despite his demanding workload, Don finds time to attend regular advisory committee meetings for the Access to Community Education and Employment (ACEE) program, readily sharing his experience around the table with staff, partner representatives, parents and participants themselves.