The Sudbury and District Health Unit recognized Monique Mercier and the local charitable organization Our Chidren, Our Future during its second annual Public Health Champion Award Thursday.
The Award recognizes an individual or organization that has made outstanding contributions toward promoting and protecting public health in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts.
Jeff Huska, a board member with the health unit, and one of the committee members who helped choose the winners, said they ended up choosing two recipients this year.
“The work they do is quite evident,” he said.
Monique Mercier is the chair of the Donovan-West Elm Community Action Network, which has taken on a number of projects in that community over the last few years, including fundraising and buliding a new splashpad at Victory Park, and planting a number of trees and flowers in the area.
“I'm honoured and I'm humbled,” Mercier said after receiving the award. “I don't work alone. If it wasn't for a wonderful community it would be very difficult to do the work that I do.”
Lynne Ethier accepted the award on behalf of Our Children, Our Future.
Ethier is the manager of fundraising and special projects for the organization which helps families in “The need is always growing,” she said. “We feed thousands of children a year.”
Our Children, Our Future manages a number of programs including its Infant Food Cupboard and Food Security program, which provides families in need with infant formula, diapers and healthy food.
The organization also offers courses to help new parents of young children meet their needs.
The health unit also unveiled its new You Can Create Change campaign video, which aims to inspire people to take action because no one should be at risk of poor health due to their social and economic situations.
