Urban Heroes logo.
The 2010 Urban Hero Awards are here.
There are people in this world many aspire to be like: the powerful, the wealthy, and the famous. Then there are people we should all aspire to be like: the honest, the selfless, and the compassionate.
Unfortunately, the former group dominates headlines far more often than the latter, but this year your community newspaper would like to change that.
Our neighbourhoods are filled with individuals working to help their fellow citizens, just as there are local groups and businesses that go that extra distance for a cause or to give back to the community.
They're the people that should be in the spotlight and recognized for what they do. They make our communities better places to live, work and play. For that, Toronto Community News would like to honour them.
This month marks the launch of the 2010 Urban Hero Awards program, specially designed to celebrate the people whose efforts, big or small, are making a difference here at home.
Urban Heroes come with varied stripes and are from all walks of life. It could be a teacher who's gone beyond the call of duty to help a student excel; a coach who's made it his or her mission to bring sports to underprivileged youth; a small business owner who's giving back to the community.
Perhaps it's a neighbour who looks out for others living on the street; a community group built up from the grassroots to help a local cause. If their efforts have made a positive impact on another person, a group, a cause or the broader community - they're the perfect candidate.
Toronto Community News needs the help of readers to find this year's team of Urban Heroes. The thing about model citizens, is they're often modest about what they do and, therefore, often difficult to find. Help us share their story so we can inspire others and so we can say 'thank-you.'
Individuals, non-profit organizations and businesses can be nominated online for the Urban Hero Awards this month in the categories of Arts&Culture, Community, Education, Environment, Health&Science, and Sports.
Visit www.urbanheroes.ca to access the nomination form or for information on the rules and the nomination process. The nomination deadline is April 2. Award winners will be announced at a special reception later this spring and profiled in Toronto Community News.
Who do you know that works hard to make that extra bit of difference?