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- WWW-Way.0ecember5.wlz-a Maku' lg a (111 form we I ’ I I I - . Three more earn aty 3 highest cum: honour at annual Waterloo Award ceremony mlmlaclsou w r . N‘s “ w anointing - I “ . ‘ ' . \ - f » he three recipients of the 2012 Water- «A; ~ ‘ m I loo Award say it is their passion for "vs“‘i'if" "I .1 taxi-i“ ”its . ~ . ' the local community that pushes . ~ , 'wt‘: rm. . . them to make it a better place to live and , 5 ‘ if: .- " "a W" work. .. in" . v. (3', ”To: .‘ ,5 5. . The K-W Symphony's Edwin ()utwater. ~ . it ’ ' i. m: ,. Narine Sookram and Cindy Watkin were "i ‘ ' Kw chosen to receive the city’s most prestigious ‘ 3'" ' . .' civic award in a ceremony at the start of last . . ‘ 1;; 3» ‘ 1;»- ’ week's council session. Presented annually ' "‘3, ' since 1997. only 36 people have been given . V’ "x i E if the award. ‘ s ' $7. ,5,» )3 ‘ ()utwater has the highest profile as the ' a music director for the K-W Symphony since 7/4“? 4 , . y it .' 'ftfg‘ \ 2006. Over the past six years. his work has fir»: ”Fifi“ y; . ‘1; .. "’ ., ' grown the symphony’s reach and impacted / ”if M‘. 1;!) i ' g the city by forging litiks between the per ‘i. 551,; ff; forming arts. local businesses and the com» ‘ V “15"“ '“ ,. munity at large. Marine Sookrun Bdwanutwnter ClndyWatIdn lle accepted the award on behalf of him- self and the 52 fulltime musicians the sym- ()utwater isn't the only recipient of this moved to the region. when he createdalocal Watkin spent four years collaborating phony employs. year’s award who has made a profound and youth group in his home country when he with city staff and local politicians to get Fire “I provide the vision and set the tone, but personal impact on the arts community in was just 14 years old. The goal was “brain- Station No. 4 built in her community and we have an incredible team of people who Waterloo. stunning and sharing ideas and ways to uti- she was a driving force behind the Parks work so hard and have a unity of purpose.” Born and raised in Guyana, Sookram lize our time in talent for a better communi- Watch pilot project in 2011 to help stop drug ()utwater said in a phone interview from moved to the region in 1993 when he was tyand toget kids offthe streets." he said. use. violence. noise and graffiti in her neigh- (Zhicago. where he is working with that city's just 17 years old. Since then. he has strived Sookram plans to take his experiences as bourhood. ; symphony this week. to provide ongoing cultural leadership to the a volunteer and an immigrant to Canada She also organizes Eastbridge's annual The native of Santa Monica. Calif. said Canadian Caribbean community. and turn it into a book as a way of inspiring family fun day and silent auction that he views himself as an advocate for the “This is a very prestigious award and others to makean impact in theirown com- attracts upwards of 1,500 people, family Waterloo music community and described something i am very proud of,” he said. “For munity as well. _ skates. an annual Christmas tree lighting himself as a “mi&sionary' for the arts. me. it is a personal passion to The final recipient of this ceremony at the new fire hall and she is also "i think nowadays there is a lot vying for becommunity oriented. ,, . . year's Waterloo Award is a chair of the volunteer services advisory people's attention." he said. "For us and oth- “When you give. you get For me, It IS a well-known face in the committee. helping develop the committee's ers in the arts community who advocate for back as well." personal passion Waterloo council chambers, five-year strategic plan for council. live music, exposure to music is inspiring. Sookram hosts an annual . so it was fitting for her to Add those volunteer responsibilities to not just entertaining." Caribbean Dreams concert to [0 be community receive her Waterloo Award her fulltinle career as a business woman. ()utwater has brought innovative and showcase new and upcoming oriented When in that very spot. . ‘ nonâ€"fiction author, aspiring novelist and ambitious concen experiences to the com- talent and to promote a . ' Since moving to Waferloo mother of three. and it's enough to wonder munity and every year 13,000 students are sense of pride within the YOU give, you get almost 13 years ago. Watkin what keeps her motor running some days exposed to symphony concerts. His nomi- Canadian Caribbean com- back as we” " looked for a way to become "Every year we do great things and it nation supponers agree that ()utwater has munity. ' involved in the community. implies me to do more." she said. "if volun- transformed the symphony into an out- These concerts have -Nlflne500|u’lm She started by delivering her teering feels like work. it’s time to make a ward-focused organiration aimed at attract~ attracted talent from across Waterloo Award winner Eastbridge Neighbourhood change. ingyounger audiences. Canada and the United on whyhe‘ssoinmlwd Association newsletter ‘lamsoblessedtobeablePdothis" Beginning this year. the symphony will States. in his community before eventually becoming Watkin said volunteering as done more make a bigger effort to connect with its Sookram also showcases chair of the association in than change the community around her -â€"â€" audience through the use of media and local talent though hisweekly 2005. Since then. she has it'schanged heroutlookon life. technology. including a time-lapse video of Caribbean Spice radio show on 100.3 Sound spearheaded many events and new initia- 'l've gone from being someone who wor« the stage setup prior to its concert at ('entre FM. The program shares West lndian and tives rim about everything, 'What ifit rains? What in the Square last weekend. local Caribbean music and culture with its ”It was a tremendous honour to be recog- if no one shows up? What if, what if. what if?’ “We're making the orchestra very modern listeners and promotes grassroots commu- nized.’ she said in an lntenriew while seated to not worrying,” she said. and current, while preserving our 1.100 nity initiatives. at her dining room table. “I just think of "There's nothing we can do. We're volun. year old tradition oflive music." he said. His volunteer work started before he myselfas part ofthe team.’ teering and just doing the best we can." , «or ' was; «a: -.. ' ' as a . (“a v . ’ w H i . . ‘ _. y. . . :7: , . ‘ .. _... . $3 it. a g... A?» “#5:“ .. . , . . ‘ GINA’S SPA GIFT CARDS “i“ , GINA‘S cm CARD . puncunsc RECEIVES 7 ( A at: r wnH . tluacnnst THE pERFECT GIFT To GIVE& RECEIVE ' V GINAS "" - was. smut-Int m . 1, I. ‘ r O é; .. ~ 519 ”c.2090 I emuncon . i. ' ‘o . . O an. - ‘ . ..,____.__