Mayor’s Awards

Jide Atilola has demonstrated an exceptional and ongoing commitment to the betterment of his community through numerous impactful initiatives. His active involvement with local organizations is a testament to his dedication to helping others, particularly in the areas of mental health, homelessness, poverty relief, and youth empowerment.

As the current chair of the fundraising committee at Hope House, Jide has shown an unwavering commitment to supporting addiction and mental health services. His personal donations, including a significant contribution to counselling services, further highlight his dedication to this cause. Jide’s contributions extend to a variety of other organizations as well, including the Guelph Black Heritage Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph, University of Guelph, and the YMCA Mobility Program.

Madison Lambden is an exceptional individual who has not only overcome profound personal tragedy but has also transformed that experience into being a strong force of change in our community.

At the age of 13, Madison’s 10-year-old brother Nicholas died after sustaining a head injury from a puck. Madison understood the profound need for a safe and understanding space for those in mourning like only someone who had lived through the experience could. Recognizing the lack of such a resource in the area, Madison jumped at the opportunity to be one of Nightingale Centre’s founding members in 2019, where it offers compassionate grief support programs. Madison’s first commitment was to raise $12,000 in 12 days to help launch the Centre, but she surpassed her goal and raised over $20,000.

Rick McCombie has been an active and dedicated volunteer across the United Way network for decades. He has served in many roles, including time as a lead ambassador who helped strategically guide the organization in raising over $10 million. This has created positive, lasting change on community issues, such as mental health, poverty, and inclusion. In 2020, Rick helped the organization adapt and step up as a community leader in meeting urgent needs when the Covid-19 pandemic hit our community.

Rick has served as a champion for the United Way’s role as the co-lead of the Home for Good Campaign. Many times, when they faced decisions on the campaign that were risky or challenging, Rick would say “We just have to do it. It’s the right thing for our community.”

Since joining the Guelph community, Shujaat Yar has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and a heartfelt commitment to making a difference through volunteer service, benefitting individuals, groups, and the community as a whole. Shujaat’s contributions to Guelph have been both impactful and inspiring.

Through his role right here at Delta Hotels, he has spearheaded numerous initiatives that embody generosity and community engagement. He has been involved in organizing donation campaigns, instilling a culture of giving and compassion within his team. These efforts resulted in significant contributions to local charities, providing meals and resources to those in need. Notably, Shujaat and his team supported Hope House, preparing and serving over 200 hot meals during the holiday season.