Kitchener announces Senior of the Year
Posted Jun 14, 2019 12:30:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
An LGBTQ inclusion activist has won the Senior of the Year award in Kitchener.
Randy Farrell has been been given the award recognizing the most outstanding senior aged 65+ in the city.
“I'm honoured to present Randy with the 2019 Senior of the Year Award and to recognize the meaningful contributions of older adults in the Kitchener community,” said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic in a release.
Farrell is the volunteer Director-at-Large at SPECTRUM. They are Waterloo Region's first LGBTQ/Rainbow community space. Randy has been very active in volunteering in making Kitchener a more inclusive place for many in the LGBTQ community.
He is an advocate for acceptance and inclusion in Kitchener.
“His efforts and ongoing support for the Rainbow community in Kitchener and beyond promotes inclusivity and helps foster a greater sense of belonging for all residents in our city,” said Vrbanovic.
Randy has volunteered at many organizations including Social Planning Committee of Kitchener, Aging with Pride, Beyond the Rainbow and Hospice Volunteer Region.
June is known as Seniors Month as well as Pride Month, which is dedicated to bringing awareness to the LGBTQ community and making people in the community feel included and welcome, something Farrell has dedicated his time to over the years.
“Randy is the embodiment of a city builder,” added Mayor Vrbanovic.
Every June the award is handed out to honour Seniors Month. There are a total of 12 nominees that get recognized for their work towards making Kitchener a better place for all.
The award is given out after careful review from the selection committee and they select the select the winner whose efforts make a positive impact on the community.
Story by 570 NEWS intern Liam Piatelli
