2025 Mayor's Awards Recipients

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The 2025 Mayor’s Awards were presented in person on February 12, 2026 at the Mayor’s State of the City Address, an event hosted by the Guelph Chamber of Commerce.

2025 Mayor’s Award recipients

Carly O’Brien

Carly O’Brien is an enthusiastic, community-focused, dedicated volunteer who has given her time to support Guelph-based charities for over 15 years. She has volunteered as a board member or mentor for many local organizations, including the Foundation for Guelph General Hospital, Guelph Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement of Guelph, The Rhyze Academy, and the Guelph Community Foundation. Carly has chaired numerous board committees and Boards of Directors, and she is currently the Chair of the Guelph Community Foundation (GCF) Board.

Carly is the kind of volunteer who goes above and beyond. She doesn’t just show up and put time in; she consistently demonstrates her commitment to community by jumping in enthusiastically. With her contributions and countless hours of volunteer time, organizations have been made stronger, Boards of Directors have been enriched, staff teams have been supported, and the community has been made better.

Emily Pyke

Emily Pyke’s impact in Guelph cannot be separated from the place she came from. She was a single teen mother raising her daughters in the same city she now uplifts through her work. She built her career in the trades not because it was easy, but because she refused to let circumstance define her future. Her service to Guelph is rooted in a promise to make sure no girl or young woman coming up behind her feels as alone in her ambition as she once did.

Emily returns to the schools, halls, and community spaces she once stood in as a student, young mother, and girl trying to find her place. She teaches, she speaks, and she mentors – not from a stage above others, but from the same ground she climbed up from. Her mentorship goes further than one-time workshops.

Emily volunteers with youth-focused initiatives across the region, including Build a Dream, NAPA Canada speaking events, Skills Ontario, Jill of All Trades, Girls With Tools, and Support Ontario Youth. By speaking openly about the challenges and triumphs of being a woman in a male-dominated industry, she gives young people not just information, but representation.

Students say that meeting Emily helped them see themselves in the trades, sometimes for the first time in their lives. They view Emily as someone who worked her way through doubt and into excellence — and realize that they can too.

Lisa Richards

For three decades, Lisa Richards has devoted countless hours as a volunteer, often working quietly behind the scenes to improve the lives of those around her. Her impact has been immense—supporting local families, organizing community events, mentoring youth, and leading numerous charitable initiatives. Her tireless commitment has helped shape a stronger, more compassionate, and connected community.

What sets Lisa apart is not just the longevity of her service, but the consistency and heart she brings to everything she does. She embodies the spirit of civic duty and compassion that we strive to cultivate in our neighborhoods.

It’s difficult to go anywhere in Guelph without someone stopping Lisa to tell a story about how she’s had an impact on their lives.

Whether it’s something small like an adult recalling how she went to their elementary school to read to the class, or something a little more substantial like how during the blackout in 2004, Lisa stayed on air for 25 hours as the only nearby radio station still broadcasting to help people in need come together.

Just a few of the organizations for which Lisa has volunteered include: Guelph Rotary Club, Guelph Humane Society, Kids Ability, Special Olympics, Canadian Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity, Guelph Food Bank, and many, many more.

Janet Trowbridge

For more than four decades, Janet Trowbridge has helped build a stronger, more caring Guelph through quiet, meaningful service. Janet has become a dependable force for good— someone who continually steps forward to support others and strengthen the organizations that serve them.

Janet’s dedication to our community is rooted in her 34-year nursing career built here in Guelph. After graduation, she cared for patients at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Homewood Health Centre before joining Guelph General Hospital, where she eventually became Director of Inpatient Surgery for more than six years.

Since retiring from nursing, Janet has devoted herself fully to community volunteerism, offering her time, skills, and care to organizations that support health, women, and families experiencing hardship. She has been an invaluable volunteer with The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital, Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis, and the Children’s Foundation’s Adopt-a-Family program.

Janet embodies the heart of volunteerism. Her work strengthens organizations that are essential to the well-being of our community, and she does so with grace, empathy, and a genuine desire to make Guelph better for everyone.

Cheryl Steffer Emond and Joanne French

Image of Cheryl Steffer Emond, Joanne French

Something new to the Mayor’s Awards is the joint award recipients of Cheryl Steffer Emond and Joanne French. They are founders of A Little Relief – a non-profit organization that provides support for families in need.

Cheryl and Joanne have spent more than a decade serving others through their organization. Their devotion to helping those facing poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, and crisis is incredible.

Cheryl and Joanne founded A Little Relief on a foundation of compassion, dignity, and community support. In the past year alone, their team has organized 16 free community events, each created to uplift, support, and bring joy to local families.

These events include large-scale toy drives, Easter basket programs, adopt-a-family Christmas hampers, affordable gift markets, free Santa photo days, and multiple emergency relief initiatives. Each one is carefully planned and executed with professionalism and a deep love for the people they serve. Many families in Guelph depend on these events not only for material support, but for the hope and dignity they provide.

What sets Cheryl and Joanne apart is their heart for people. They treat every community member with respect, kindness, and understanding. Countless families have expressed how A Little Relief has made them feel seen and valued during moments of hardship. Their compassion is not selective—they serve without judgment and welcome anyone in need.

Cheryl and Joanne dream of growing A Little Relief so that more people can join them, partner with them, and help make Guelph stronger. These two remarkable individuals truly make a profound difference across our city.

About the Mayor’s Awards

The Guelph Mayor’s Awards recognize people who make our city a better place through volunteer service.

The Mayor’s Awards have been presented since 1997, when they were established by Mayor Joe Young, with a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. Honourees have been recognized for volunteer contributions to many different aspects of city life, including arts and culture, health and mental health, community building, athletics, and the environment.

For more information

Mayor’s Office
[email protected]
519-837-5643

2025 Mayor’s Awards Recipients