MULTIPLE
BIRTHS CANADA/NAISSANCES MULTIPLES
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INFORMATION
CIRCULAR
BO-07-04-05-#1
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
July 4,
2005
News
& Information from Multiple Births
Canada
Chapter
Representatives: Please forward
the information below to your Chapter Executive and members.
Information
Circular Contents:
1.
2004/2005
Making A Difference Award Winners!
2.
New
Adult Multiples’ Making A Difference Award
1. 2004/2005 Making
A Difference Award Winners!
Congratulations
to all the Making A Difference Award Winners and
Nominees!
On
behalf of the Making a Difference Awards (MADA) Committee, thank you to everyone
who had a hand in putting together the 2005 MBC Annual General Meeting and
Conference. Mattawa was a beautiful and relaxing setting and it was wonderful to
connect with familiar faces and meet some new ones. Thanks for all your hard
work!
This
year, the MADA Committee consisted of Katherine Romain from Durham Region POMBA;
Darlene Nagy, Debbie Ralph and
The
Making a Difference Awards (or “MADA” as they are affectionately referred to)
was created in 1999 in memory of our founder, Sheryl McInnes. MBC’s mission
statement is to improve the quality of life for multiple birth individuals and
their families in
The
winners of the 2005 Making A Difference Awards are:
International
Category:
Pat
Malmstrom
is the 2005 MADA winner in the International Category. Pat has served on MBC’s
Advisory Board for many years and was the keynote speaker at the 2001 AGM and
Conference in Niagara Falls. Serving as Director of the International Society
for Twin Studies’ Council of Multiple Birth Organizations (“COMBO”), Pat was the
catalyst behind COMBO’s “Declaration of Rights and Statement of Needs” over 10
years ago. She is also the Director and main author of ‘Twin Services’, a Twin Care Handout Collection which is a
lifeline for parents throughout the
Pat,
as an internationally-known advocate for the improved care of multiples and
their families, served as a mentor to Sheryl McInnes, MBC’s founder. Spanning
over 25 years, Pat has always shared important resources with MBC and provided
ongoing encouragement for MBC’s advocacy work. Pat has earned the reputation as
a foremost authority on multiple birth development and care. Congratulations
Pat, and thanks for all your hard
work!
Pat’s
comments:
Dear
Multiple Births
That
MBC has honored me with its Making A Difference Award delights me! POMBA’s 1978
convention in
During
the years since, I have had the privilege of working with many wonderful POMBA
folks toward our mutual goal of developing resources and information for
families rearing multiples. Now, POMBA’s evolution into the collaborative
network of professional and volunteer resources called Multiple Births
I
accept this commendation with particular gratitude for POMBA’s and MBC’s support
and encouragement all these years.
Sincerely,
Pat Malmstrom
National
Category:
The
winner in the National Category is someone who has touched the lives of everyone
in the Multiple Births Canada family in one way or another. Her tireless work
with MBC knows no limits. She is the kind of person who never loses her cool and
is always there to help in any way she can. What does her nominator say about
her? “Simply put, she’s Multiple Births
The
winner of this year’s National MADA award was Vicki Riley. Vicki was shocked at the
presentation of her award because in her role as MBC’s Business Services
Manager, she orders the plaques for the winners. The MADA committee and a
few others did some sneaky maneouvering to outwit Vicki, and present her with
this truly deserving award.
Vicki
has been with MBC for over five years and began as the Business Office Manager
three years ago. Vicki goes above and beyond the hourly duties set out for her
position. She also takes on a number of other responsibilities not directly
covered through the Business Services Manager
position.
In
addition to all her work with MBC at the National level, Vicki is still very
involved with her local chapter in
Vicki’s
comments:
Well,
you guys really got me! What a surprise! Thank you so much for this special
honour. It is a pleasure to work with such strong, committed women at both the
national and local levels. The teams I work with give me the encouragement and
motivation I need to continue to try to make a difference in the lives of
multiple-birth families in Canada, day-by-day. It has been truly inspirational
these past few years and the National Multiple Births Awareness Day event has
really drawn our chapters, members and families together for a united cause. I
can feel the difference… you have all made a difference. Thank you very much to
those who took the time to nominate me for this special
award.
With
multiple thanks, Vicki
Local
Category:
We
received several fantastic nominations for the local category but one consisted
of an unbelievable 5-page letter filled with glowing praise for our local
winner. Mira
Chan is the president of the Vancouver Chapter. She joined the
executive when her special development needs twins were less than a year old and
while she was working part-time. Her nominator comments that she is “totally on top of things, sensitive to the needs of
the members, creative and innovative, [and has] a contagious enthusiasm and
flexibility when faced with obstacles.” In her spare
time, she has started a company
called “Fun in a Box” which develops creative learning and play activities for
strengthening a child’s developmental skills. Mira, along with her executive,
has been able to meet the challenges of offering services and approaches to
address the diverse ethno-cultural background of Vancouver-Burnaby. Mira is the
initial contact with expectant families and is committed to ensuring that all
members receive the latest information from Health
Mira’s
comments:
I
feel very honoured that the
Thank
you, Multiple Births
With
much appreciation, Mira Chan
This
year, the committee unanimously voted to present a honourable mention award in
the local category. This person has held the positions of newsletter editor,
president and past president as well as running numerous programs in the local
chapter. She dedicated many hours to revitalizing existing programs and creating
new ones within her Chapter and is now volunteering at the National level
helping all chapters across
Nicole’s
comments:
I
am a bit embarrassed but quite honoured by this attention. The kind sentiments
my nominees have expressed in recommending me for the Local Making A Difference
Award have moved me to tears. Quite simply, it is an honour to give back the
assistance and care that was given to me when I first joined K-W POMBA. This
volunteering has in fact led to several of my best friendships. It’s not out of
a sense of obligation, but rather, it is the joy of serving other families of
multiples in my various volunteer roles that has motivated me. Thank you for the
acknowledgment of my volunteering; it is my hope that it is making a difference
to others.
Nicole
Winners
and nominees:
Pat
Malmstrom, Vicki Riley and Mira Chan all received engraved plaques. All MADA
nominees were presented with an MBC pin as a token of thanks for their hard
work:
International
Category Nominees: Pat Malmstrom and Bonnie Schultz (past-MBC President and past
MBC Office Manager)
National
Category Nominees: Vicki Riley and Shelly Blizzard-Jones (MBC Representative
Liaison, past-Clothing
Local
Category Nominees: Mira Chan, Nicole Fisher, Melody Parent (K-W POMBA), Sarah
Seed (Chatham-Kent MBA), and Karen
Derochie (Multiples Are Us-Sault Ste Marie MBA).
We
would once again like to congratulate everyone for their hard work and
dedication. Please take a moment next year to nominate someone. We all have
strengths and together we can all make a
difference!
Katherine
Romain
Vice
President of
Chairperson
of the Making A Difference Awards Committee
makingadifference@multiplebirthscanada.org
2. New Adult
Multiples’ Making A Difference Award
This
year, the Board of MBC introduced a new MADA award – the Adult Multiples’ Making
A Difference Award. This new MADA award will be presented annually to
Adult Multiples who make a difference to
Multiple Births
Canada/Naissances multiples
Toll-free (in
Tel:
705-429-0901
Fax:
705-429-9809
mailto:office@multiplebirthscanada.org
http://www.multiplebirthscanada.org/
National
Multiple Births Awareness Day – May
28th, 2005 - What a celebration it was! Check out the pictures and
articles from events across
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