Growing for Green’s Susan Poizner (on left) with MPP Dr Eric Hoskins and Growing for Green’s Lynn Nicholas at the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal ceremony

The volunteers are Growing for Green were in for a bit of a surprise this month. Coordinator Susan Poizner received a phone call St Paul’s MPP Dr Eric Hoskins, informing her that she was to be awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for community service. The medal recognizes Susan’s contribution to the environment through the founding of Growing for Green, a voluntary organization that advocates urban gardening, and for her leadership in establishing the Ben Nobleman Park Community Orchard, Toronto’s first community orchard in a public park.

Recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award for St Paul’s

This commemorative medal, launched by the Governor General of Canada, was created to mark the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne and serves to honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians.

So Susan, joined by Growing for Green’s stellar volunteer coordinator Lynn Nicholas, set off for Queen’s Park on October 4, 2012 to receive her award at an official ceremony. The two were dazzled by the other recipients from St. Paul’s including community leaders and activists such as award-winning film producer and chair of TVO Peter O’Brian (accompanied by his wife MP Carolyn Bennett), Paulette Senior, the CEO of YWCA Canada, Harvey Manning, a founder of the Na-Me-Res Native Men’s Residence, and community leader Kathy Biasi of Wychwood Open Door. One recipient couldn’t make it to the ceremony. It was Keinan Abdi Warsame, the Juno Award-winning singer (also known as “K’naan”)  who has inspired millions through his art and his support for humanitarian causes.

Audience at Queen’s Park Ceremony for Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals

It was a fantastic morning and of course, for Susan and Lynn it was fun to get dressed up for a formal event. But the two were happy to get back to Eglinton West where their work boots and scruffy gardening clothes await our next stewardship day on Sunday, October 14th at 10.00 a.m. Our tasks will include planting hundreds of bulbs in our pollinator garden which were generously donated by The Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation.  We will also meticulously collect and dispose of fallen leaves from our fruit trees to ensure any blight on the leaves will not be left overwinter – this helps prevent infection next year. Come and join us! Who knows, maybe you’ll be the one getting the award next year….

What Growing for Green’s Susan Poizner and Lynn Nicholas look like when they are not in their scruffy gardening clothes!