Thursday, April 8, 2010

Bill Lister, Meredith Walker, Rousseau House honoured


Bill Lister is Ancaster’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year for 2009. Lister was honoured at the April 7 awards evening at the Ancaster Old Mill along with Youth Volunteer of the Year award winner Meredith Walker and Business of the Year, Rousseau House.
“Being involved is its own reward. That’s how I felt,” said Lister. A 53-year resident of Ancaster, Lister spearheaded efforts to build a new fellowship hall for Marshall Memorial United Church, a $1 million project. As building committee chair and contract manager, Lister helped Marshall Memorial retire all of its building related debt by 2009.
Lister has been a faithful brother at Seymour Lodge of the local Masonic Order for more than 40 years. Since 2004 Lister has also served as a volunteer treasurer for the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board’s Educational Archives and Heritage Centre. He has offered his expertise in tax return preparation to others in the community. Over the years his volunteer service has also extended to the YMCA and the Boy Scouts.
Steve Paterson was the runner-up for Ancaster Citizen of the Year. Since 1994, Paterson has been a committee member for the Ancaster Community Food Drive, which raises more than 75,000 pounds of food for eight social service organizations in Hamilton. Paterson is also involved in a number of volunteer capacities at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and Scouts Canada where he spends 16 to 20 hours monthly, planning meetings and weekend outings.
Meredith Walker’s volunteer service began at age four when she sold lollipops and peanuts door-to-door to raise money for the kidney foundation. In recent years she has participated in the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life as a youth recruiter. During her time at Ancaster High School, Walker served as co-president of the Girls Athletic Association, a student council member, a volunteer leader for the Grade 8 orientation day and a member of the triathlon planning committee.
She draws inspiration from her late father, Glenn, her mother, Lynn, her grandparents and her brother.
She also thanked her former teachers at Ancaster High School.
“I’m honoured and flattered to have been selected for this award,” said Walker.
Walker plans to study sports management this fall at Durham College.
Other nominees for Youth Volunteer of the Year included Rachel Bellefeuille, Elise Dunn, Madeline Foley, Brittany Fothergill, Melanie Grice, Brittany Kruter, Sarah Rasmussen, Magdalena Szkarlat and Colleen Wilson.
Business owner Andrew Kershaw represented Rousseau House, a historically themed casual and fine dining establishment originally built in 1835.
The restaurant attracted Canadian silver medalist triathlete Simon Whitfield for a fundraising event and raised $25,000 for the Mark Preece Family House in partnership with Ancaster Financial Services.
Other Business of the Year nominees included Faloney’s of Ancaster, Meridian Credit Union and Redeemer University College.
The annual awards evening is presented by the Ancaster Division of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce along with keynote sponsors RBC Royal Bank, The Ancaster Old Mill, Heritage Complete Home Care and the Ancaster News.

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