November 29, 2024

South Grey leader receives YMCA Peace Medal

BY JOHN BUTLER — For the second time in three years, South Grey is home to the recipient of a Peace Medal from the YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce. On November 21, a Peace Medal for 2024 was awarded to Joan John, Founder of JunCtian Community Initiatives (JCI), a civic group that empowers its community (Southgate and environs) through positive economic and social programs, focusing on the creation of a safe hub where young people are engaged through arts, culture, education, diversity and inclusion, health and wellness, and other community activities. Joan has created a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, organized events to celebrate diversity, and supported youth and families through counselling and integration efforts.

Joan, a Councillor serving on the Southgate Municipal Council, is a proud Canadian with roots in the area’s Caribbean Canadian community. “I treasure my roots, as we all do,” she says, “but as a Councillor I serve everyone in Southgate, regardless of their background.” Her work extends to advocating for peace, providing scholarships, and collaborating with various local organizations and committees.

Joan was nominated for this award by the Grey Highlands Peace Committee (GHPC) of which she is a member. In nominating her, the Committee highlighted Joan’s contributions in five categories of achievement whose titles spell 'PEACE':

1. Participation (getting involved and encouraging others to get involved in community-building activities)
2. Empathy (listening and understanding diverse perspectives to create a sense of belonging for all)
3. Advocacy (making the case for positive change in the community)
4. Community (building and strengthening community connections and capacity)
5. Empowerment (inspiring others to foster peace and helping them gain the skills and tools to succeed.)

In accepting this award, Joan paid tribute to the work of the YMCA’s second Peace Medal recipient this year — Barb Vandenbor was honored for her compassionate leadership in addressing rural homelessness and food insecurity in the Walkerton area.

Said Sarah Cowley, CEO of the YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce, “Joan and Barb are true peacemakers. Through their leadership and unwavering dedication to serving others, they have created spaces of belonging and empowerment for some of our most vulnerable community members. We are incredibly proud to honor them with this year’s YMCA Peace Medal.”

The two recipients join a distinguished group of 26 individuals and 13 groups who have received the Peace Medal over the years. Their names are proudly displayed at the YMCA centre in Owen Sound.

The Peace Medal awarded in 2022 also went to someone from South Grey — former Grey Highlands Councillor Lynn Silverton, who chairs the GHPC and who received the award for being “an inclusive community leader who identifies and shares community-building tasks, challenges, and opportunities rather than hoarding them.”

 

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