Lily Violette is not the type of person who just sits around. This 14-year-old keeps busy with a wide range of curricular and extracurricular activities.
At the age of 13 and still in Grade 8, Lily worked with Yves Vaillancourt, principal at École St-Thomas in Warren, to enable her school to participate in the Noah Strong Positive Affirmation program. This program, created following the death of young North Bay hockey player Noah Dugas in 2020, supports families and communities through acts of kindness, dedication, empathy, selflessness, and resilience.
By integrating this positive and empowering youth program, Lily contributed to the well-being of all members of the École St-Thomas school community. She said presenting the Noah Strong Campaign to her school was very important. She felt their message needed to be taught in the school.
But hardly one to rest, Lily also plays for the North Bay Ice Bolts AA girls hockey team. Her mother, Kathleen Pellerin, said her daughter likes to keep busy.
“She always needs to be busy,” Pellerin said. “She likes to set goals to push herself to be better whether it’s on the ice, at school or on a horse. Basically she pushes herself to be better at everything she does.
“Lily really enjoys making other people happy. She has a big heart and likes to see others succeed. She feels good knowing she helped someone.”
Besides enjoying the rewards of helping people, Lily also loves farming. An active equestrian, she has also won prices for her animals in agricultural competitions.
The family — which includes Lily, her parents and two sisters — operate a small farm in Warren. They also ensure the harvest of various vegetables, which they sell at the local market. Lily hopes to have her own farm one day, where she envisions owning all kinds of horses, beef cattle and other animals.
Because she loves sports, when considering her future, Lily said she sees herself as part of a team. And she knows she’ll always play hockey.
She’s exploring many career options, and in the current running are police office, veterinarian and a carpenter.
Lily Violette will be starting Grade 9 at École Secondaire Du Sacré-Coeur In September.
Lily Violette’s words of inspiration
The Noah Strong Campaign is very important. Their message should be taught in school.
James Stewart is a writer in North Bay. Inspire is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
