TORONTO, Dec. 6, 2016 /CNW/ - Earth Day Canada is launching this year's Hometown Heroes Award Program and is asking for nominations to help find Canada's leaders in sustainability. For the first time ever, a teacher will be recognized for the outstanding work he or she does within a school to help connect students with nature and inspire future generations of environmental stewards.
The program, now in its 13th year, is made possible through the support of Mill Street Brewery, the RBC Foundation and UFile Tax Software. It recognizes and celebrates local leaders who foster meaningful, long-term community awareness and action to lessen our impact on the planet. The categories for 2017 include: Youth, Individual, Group, Small Business and Teacher.
Youth Hometown Heroes Award – $5,000 cash prize that can be donated to a local environmental group or cause, or be put toward post-secondary studies in the form of a scholarship
Individual Hometown Heroes Award – $5,000 cash prize to donate to a local environmental group or cause
Teacher Hometown Heroes Award – $5,000 cash prize to support a teacher's environmental work at school
Group Hometown Heroes Award – $5,000 cash prize to support the group's work
Small Business Hometown Heroes Award – $5,000 cash prize that must be used by the business to make an operational change that results in the business lessening their environmental impact, and permission from Earth Day Canada to use the award and EDC logo for one year to help market and promote the business and/or an approved product
The Hometown Heroes Award winners will be celebrated by Earth Day Canada and its partners at an awards ceremony in Toronto.
"So many people in Canada are striving to make this planet healthier," said Deb Doncaster, President of Earth Day Canada, "but their efforts often go unrecognized. Our program celebrates these contributions while ensuring much-needed funds go directly to supporting local communities and the environment."
The nomination deadline is February 28, 2017.
For more information, please visit earthday.ca/hometown or email [email protected].
About the Hometown Heroes Award Program
Earth Day Canada's (EDC) Hometown Heroes Award Program has become one of Canada's most prestigious environmental awards. Established in 2004, the program recognizes and celebrates environmental leaders, groups and small businesses fostering meaningful, long-term community awareness and action. Local heroes, working at a grassroots level and often with very limited resources, can make an enormous difference to the health of our planet – they deserve our recognition. Learn more at earthday.ca/hometown.
About Earth Day Canada
Celebrated every year on April 22, Earth Day is the largest environmental event in the world. Founded in 1990, Earth Day Canada is a national charity that inspires and supports people across the country to connect with nature and build resilient communities. We lead an annual Earth Day campaign in conjunction with free, year-round, award-winning programs that get people outside, interacting with the natural environment — this, in turn, fosters an intrinsically motivated, enduring commitment to stewardship and conservation. EDC works closely with school-aged children and youth through our renowned EcoKids program and new EarthPLAY initiative, and recognizes via our Hometown Heroes Awards those who are leading the way in solving environmental challenges. Learn more at earthday.ca.
SOURCE Earth Day Canada
Image with caption: "Earth Day Canada logo (CNW Group/Earth Day Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161206_C1442_PHOTO_EN_831904.jpg
For interview or media inquiries, please contact: Vanessa Farquharson, Director of Communications and Campaigns, Earth Day Canada, 416-599-1991 ext. 207, [email protected]
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