Volunteers...

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION NIGHT

Date: April 17, 2018Place: Le Renaissance 7550 boul. Henri-Bourassa Est

Volunteer Ambassadors of the Year: Joseph Perretta, Lina Di Giovanni and Alexia Perretta

Volunteer of DistinctionLaura Saragosa

the heart of our community

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PROGRAMME17:30 - 18:30 Registration Foyer

18:40 Words of Welcome Angela Mancini

18:50 Greetings from Title Sponsor La Capitale

18:55 Special Presentation - Tribute Michael Cohen

DINNER SERVICE

19:50 Comedy Interlude Neil Janna

20:00 Introductions Jamie Orchard

Michael Cohen

20:20 Director General’s Address Ann Marie Matheson

20:30 Greetings from the EMSB Parents Committee

Sonia Pecora

20:35 Volunteer Ambassador of the Year - Lina Di Giovanni

Jamie Orchard

Michael Cohen

20:40 Presentation of the Volunteer of Distinction Award

Cristina Celzi

20:55 Introduction of Honorees Jamie Orchard

Michael Cohen

21:00 Presentation of gifts to volunteers with over 15 years of service

Angela Mancini & the Council of Commissioners

21:30 Drawing of Door prizes Jamie Orchard

Michael Cohen

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Laura SaragosaEdward Murphy Elementary School,

Hochelaga-Maisonneuve

Laura Saragosa has been chosen as this year’s Volunteer of Distinction by the English Montreal School Board (EMSB).

She started her involvement as a volunteer at Edward Murphy 10 years ago, when she decided to register her son Michael as a student there. It was practically a logical choice, because many members of her family – including six of her nieces and nephews – attended the school over the course of the last 30 years.

However, it was a conversation she had with her son after his first day in kindergarten that really sparked her involvement.

“I asked him what he did at recess time, and he told me that he couldn’t play in the school yard. That’s when I realized that the school was in bad shape and I had to do something about it,” she said. “I then delivered a speech at the next meeting of the school’s governing board, in which I told them ‘I’m here, my kids are com-ing here and I promise you things are going to change here.’”

Laura then rolled up her sleeves and went right to work, as she tirelessly dedicated a great deal of time and energy to researching organizations that would give grants towards the building of a school yard. She finally found that organiza-tion with Kaboom, an American group that pro-motes play for children. She then went through the long application, planning and screening process with Kaboom to make sure the school was chosen for the grant, from filling out all the paperwork, to meeting with Kaboom represen-tatives, to showing these representatives the school yard and explaining to them its needs.

As a result of Laura’s hard work and monumen-tal effort, Edward Murphy School received the grant from Kaboom to build the new school

yard. “We had over 200 volunteers come by to help build the new school yard, from the kids, to the community and even a lot of people from the school board came to help us out,” she said. And the project was accomplished at no cost to the school and its parents. It even earned recog-nition from Kaboom as one of its most success-ful school projects.

“And that started the ball rolling for the com-munity,” said Laura. “Parents came up to me asking ‘When is your next project? We want to participate.’”

From there, Laura undertook other projects to greatly benefit the Edward Murphy school com-munity with the same amount of devotion and energy that she utilized with the Kaboom school yard project. For example, she helped the cause of school literacy rates by raising over $6,000 to help stock and improve the school library; she also acquired funding from several private companies in order to build a school computer lab and furnish it with desktop computers; she was also instrumental in helping to establish a safe place, as well as an EMS Harmony Room, a sensory room where students can find peaceful activities and sensory equipment as a means to calm themselves down from the stresses they face every day within and outside the school; she also managed to procure a donation of cross-country skis to encourage students to have fun through physical activity, and arranged fully paid educational field trips.

Laura’s endless quest to search for -- and find -- more programs and grants doesn’t just ben-efit the Edward Murphy School community. She also managed to obtain funding for the Mackay Centre, so that they can purchase much needed equipment.

…And she does all this while holding down a

Volunteer of Distinction:

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day job with a local bulk cargo ship transport company!

“Laura Saragosa is hardworking, driven, deter-mined and completely devoted to the students of Edward Murphy and the EMSB as a whole,” said Cristina Celzi, the school’s principal. “She is invested in many projects that support students’ needs, encourage them to love learning, and push them toward success. Anyone who knows her, knows that the best interest of the students is her only concern.”

What motivates Laura to continue her high lev-el of volunteer work can be simply explained for these two reasons: for the benefit and happiness of the Edward Murphy School community as a whole, and to inspire parents to volunteer their time to the school.

“I’m proud of what I did for the school, but I didn’t do it for personal reasons. It was to benefit the entire school, everything that the school got over the years, whether they be new library books or computers, was for everybody to enjoy. I’m happy because they’re happy. And when the students are using these things, then it makes me even happier,” she said.

“As for the parents, when they saw that other projects were being started for the school, they thought ‘maybe we should do this, too’ and it inspired them to do more volunteering. Even if they gave an hour or two of their time, they knew they can make a difference. Everybody wanted to help out or lend a hand and as a re-sult, they motivated each other,” she added.

Now that her son Michael is a Secondary III stu-dent at Rosemount High School, and her daugh-ter Mia is about to graduate from Edward Mur-phy at the end of this school year and will make her way to Vincent Massey Collegiate, Laura re-alizes that her days as an Edward Murphy parent volunteer is coming to a close.

“I will try and continue my volunteering at both schools, but I realize that being a parent volun-teer at a high school is not the same as volun-teering at an elementary school. However, no matter where you are, everybody needs some help,” she said.

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By Stuart NulmanProgram Book Coordinator

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8Volunteers with 5 to 9 years of serving the EMSB community5 to 9

Abarca, PaulinaAbbatiello, LauraAbbott, GlenAcocella, RosaAdamakakis, JohnAdams, JonathanAdams, JohnAdams Macdonald, AmandaAdler, BrandeeAdler, JoanneAeocella, RosaAgnello, AntoinetteAldous, SueAlexander, RitaAlfaro, RicardoAlgieri, JackAlper Levine, CandiceAmaya, RosemaryAmendola, CarolinaAnobile, TinaAntonacci, MariellaAntonecchia, DanielaAquino, NatalieArena, StephanieArndtsen, BruceAroyan, CarolineArtmann, MariaArui, JuliaAssaf, StevenAung-Thwin, KiraAvanzato, JuliaAziloglou, ThomasBackler, MindyBallard, KerryBaran, JoyceBarbari-Caci, LinaBarbato, MariaBassani, SheenaBateman, SuzanneBatsos, EffiBattah, JulieBattista, RosellaBazinet, MartinBeckett, KiraBedard, SuzanneBelanger, TabathaBeldick, ShermanBelec, MichelBella Tederici, DanielaBen Israel, OrlyBenoit, David

Benoit (Fraser), JulieBenoudiz, ShirelyBentivegna, RosaliaBerardi, RosettaBerbari, LinaBeredetti, AndreaBerman, RandiBerry, TaraBerson-Klen, BrandeeBesson (Legault), JessicaBhagwandas, JanelleBickerdike, KimBiello, AnnaBilotto, SilviaBinstock, SuzyBiondi (Lalonde), ChantalBisaillon, JudyBissonnette, JulieBiunno, JoeBizogias, RoulaBlanchard, GenevieveBlanshay, StephanieBober, MarjieBock, ElizabethBock, ThomasBoivin, Lynne-MarieBomediano, AlvinBondi, JosephBordo, HeatherBouchard, CarolynBoucher, DominiqueBoulanger, TaniaBoyce, FrancineBozzo, PietroBradshaw (Barclay), JenniferBrassard (McKelvie), ElsieBrennan, StephanieBresier, GerriBrewster, VictoriaBrierley, MaryBrook-Elias, ShawnaBroomberg, PaulBrotherwood, PippaBruemmer, ReneBruzzese, JessicaBryan-Baynes, ElysiaBucca, LuciaBui, TessBukta, AndreaBuono, AntonioBuono, AnnaByck, SusanCabizzosu, MilenaCacchiotti, Luigi

Cacciatore, AnnaCalabrese, FrancoCalandrino, JoanneCalce, PerryCalderone, PinaCallender, ShaunCalligaris, MauroCampanile, CatherineCampbell, AngelaCaniglia, AnnaCannizzaro, AngelinaCanuto, AdrianaCape, DanaCappadocia, SanteCappellano, CarmelaCardillo, LoredanaCarioto, LianneCarosello, JohnCarreiro, DebbieCarter, ErinCartier, Marie-HélèneCaruso, ClaudiCarzoli, LuciaCasey, AngelaCastronovo, MariaCaterson, AnthonyCawthorn, KathleenCecere, TaraCermignani, MonicaCerqueira, ElisabeteChan, Mr.Chan, SusanCharbonneau, JulieCharron-Yannakis, JoanneCheung, Yiu-MingChiappone, JorgeChiarella, CarlaChiu, MayChow, SuzieChristensen, LisaChronopoulos, KathyCiambrone (Calcara), RosaCiancio, NancyCimo, LaurieCioccio, LindaClark (Desbiolles), ChristineClaude, ValerieClough, LaurelleCoady, MichaelCohen, LibbyColabelli, AntonioCollette, KimColombo, CathieComeau, Carl

9Constantine, NatalieCorby, CarmelaCornish Leclerc, AmberCorsi, MariaCote, Ann-MarieCote, JasonCouch, AnnaCoughlin, CaseyCouture, ClaudetteCraft, AnnieCraigh, SarahCrescenzi, AntonioCrossan, ClaireCuillerier, MyleneCulley, CynthiaCunningham, PaulCunsolo, SalvatorinaCyr-Almanza, LindaD’ Asti, AssuntaD’Addona, SuzyD’Alessio, TaniaD’Alessio, MariaDamiani, NatalieDamiano, MariettaD’Amico, DianaDanieli, LauraDare, JackieD’Argenio, DidiD’Arienzo, LauraDasilveira, JuliaDavid, RobertDavis, GlendaDavis-Baum, AndreaDay Nahawan, Viola-RoseDe Castro, MariaDe Ciccio, VeronicaDe Ciccio, AngelaDe Cubellis, StellaDe Vletter, MartienDel Paggio, LuigiDel Papa, NadiaDel Pio Luogo, MarcoDelia, GraceD’Elia, FrancaDemerson, PaulaDeMichele, AnnaDerlachter, JudithDeRosa, FrancaDewolf, ChristineDi Blasio, AnnaDi Gaetano, Anna-MariaDi Gaetano, AnaDi Iorio, Mary-AnnDi Liello, JoeDi Matteo, Maria

Di Maulo, AngelaDi Monte, MarlaDi Palma, ElisaDi Paolo, Anna MariaDi Stefano, PatriziaDi Tella, FrankDi Vito, SophieDias, JosieDickson, StephenD’Iglio, CarmieDimitropoulos, AlexandraDines, Charles PeterDiodati, AntonyDios Dafniotis, DaisyDollas, EvaDomingos, Joe FariaDomingos, Tina FariaDonovan, MeghanDouglas, Rebecka Dubee, JenniferDubuc, SaraDudok, SamanthaD’Uva, SaraDuy, JoanneDworkin-Rosen, BonnieEdwards, JuliaEgan, EamonEk, NilsElman, KenElman-Stein, JaquelineEnea, AntoninaEnglish, MariaEngstrom, CharlotteEsposito, AnitaEsposito, ClaraFagen, CindyFainsilber, TobyFancy, FarahFanzolato, SheilaFarmer, WendyFarrington, AshantaFasulo, MelissaFaustini, LilianaFederico, RosemarieFeigenbaum, BonnieFenia, RaffaelaFerreira, AlirioFiengo, LisaFigueira, SherlynFilippelli (Girolamo), KristyFinch, SusanFiorino, AlbaFish, AmyFong, LisaFortin, Isabelle

Fox, SusanFrancoeur, MoniqueFraser, AaronFrattasio, GiuliaFrenza, LeoFriedlansky, DebraGaetano, DomenicGagné, TraceyGalati, PaulGalati, EnzaGandhi, ShaliniGarcia, IreneGardos, JenniferGarish, PeterGarish, WendyGarofalo, LuigiGartner, SteveGasparini, PietroGasparini, PatriziaGaul, IsabelleGauthier, AnnickGelgoot, LorriGenois, NatalieGiancarli Giambattista, CinziaGiardullo, SandraGiatras, ElenaGilletz, DougGilsig, DeborahGirardi, LuisaGirolamo, DominiqueGissi, MaggieGliatis, JoannaGoblot, DavidGoblot, SarahGolanowski, SophiaGolfinopoulos, GeorgiaGovernale, AlessandraGrandejean, CristineGrant, AngelaGravel, ChristineGreco, AgataGruenheld, SamanthaGrunberg Fried, OritGruosso, AssuntaGuadagno, ElenaGupta, IndraHandal, VeroniqueHanic, PamelaHansen, PatriciaHansin, BrittaHarrison, GlennHassib, AitenHein, IngridHelfenbaum, WendyHenman, Chelsea

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Hernandez, ClaritzaHill, JayneHinds (Bucchan), HelenaHipfner, DagmarHolland (Johnson), DanielleHollinger Konigsberg, NatalieHorimitsu, YokoHouston, JenniferHouston, EvelynHoward, LouiseHowell, StephanieHozyan, SuzannHung, JulianHunger, RobertHynes, DebbieIacino, LauraIammatteo, SabrinaIannotti, VinceIcaza, MilushkaInantino, MeriIr NayIuliano, RalphJacob, AbigailJoaquim, Maria-Louisa

Johnson Harris, JenniferJohnstone, ChrisJohnstone, LydiaJuul, AnjaKaram, SherryKatz, RobertKeeren, KathelineKelly, NoraKenigsberg, RhodaKenny, Mary EllenKhoury, EmmanuelleKifell, NathalieKilian, PaulaKing, SharonKirsch, RichardKlamph, HisakoKlisivitch, VictoriaKnecht, KarenKobak, Paula (Ania)Kokotsis, GeorgiaKolesnikow, ScottKontolemos, JasonKontolemos, AlexiaKosmidis, Effie

Koufogianis, VayiaKounadis, MariaKoutrias, CostaKrakow, EveKrieger, MonicaKulin, JenniferKung, JoyceLachance, AnnieLaghi, LisaLaham, KarenLai, CharleneLandbo, HanneLanglois, AndreLapinski, DanusiaLatraverse, NadeenLawless, TracyLayman, PaulanaLazarovitz, KarenLebert, LoraineLemme, MickeyLemme, MichelinaLeong, LisaLepore, StellaLepore, Diana

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Leprohon, VickyLewarne, AndreaLin, AnnaLiu, DianxingLobianco, Tania Lobasso, AngelaLor, MaryLouw, JayleneLulic, DanielaLumsden, JohnMacDonald (Ella), TanyaMacheras, MariaMackey, DavidMacLeod (Akhbari), AllisonMagri, LisaMahoney, JulieMalenfant, LisaMalorni-Paulozza, TaniaManocchio, MelinaMarcone, VirginiaMartin, AlainMartin McCaffrey, CharlotteMartineau, Marie-JoseeMartorana, EnzaMas, DeboraMasciotra, MaryMason, Jody LynnMattucci (Serpente), GinaMauri, GinoMay, MadgeMcCartney, LouiseMcDougall, NancyMcLeod, DavidMcLeod, LindsayMedeiros, VeronicaMele, SandraMenard, ElizabethMendelson, MichaelMercuri, PietroMeredith, DanicaMerid, MunitMiceli, CharlieMichas, GeorgiaMiele, AdrianoMignacca, AnnaMillman, CherylMiners, RobMinichiello, VirginiaMinorgan, TiffanyMintzberg, MarcMonereau, AnneMorabito, DebbieMorello, JoseeMorin, MarikoMorrison, AndreaMorton, Nancy

Motyka, SusanMuir, MichaelMurphy, JenniferMurphy, MarieNabi-Shemie, CarolNardelli, DianaNardelli (Argento), ElisaNazm, DavoudNelli, MikeNgo, Huu TienNguyen, TramNikolakakis, AngelosNikolakakis (Vokas), NikiNohorniak, TamaraOh, KarenOhana, ConnieOlivieri, JosieO’Neil, RyanOnichino, MauriceOpalka, KatiaOrsetti, NadiaPadulo, MariaPagliuca, TaniaPallotta, AngelaPalotta, LoredanaPanopalis, AglaiaPaolella, FrankPapanas, OuraniaPaparelli, DinaPapillo, MarisaPappaport Lemish, HeidiPappas, IrmaPariss, MauroPatriarca, ElizabethPavia, SandraPecora, SoniaPederson, JuliePellegrini (Motta), NancyPelosi, AdrianaPeluso, NadiaPennefather, LaurenPenner, JeffreyPerluzzo, PatriciaPerrillo, DanielaPershall, KristaPeruch, CarloPesce, JosiePeters, JoannaPeters, CarmenPetrecca, GiovanniPhillips, NathaliePiazza, AnnaPicarazzi, LiviaPiccirilli, GianfrancaPiche, GenevievePichovich, Jodi

Pietrangelo, MarioPizzichemi, MariaPizzini, FrancaPizzo, LawrencePokrass Davidovit, RobinPopwycz, IrenePorter, RobertaPosteraro (Colaneri), NadiaPrince, MichelleProudfoot, DianePtack, AllanPugliese, LucyQuattrocchi, LouiseRabbat, NathalieRacanelli, LindaRacaniello, BrigidaRacaniello, MaryRaccio, ConnieRainelli, MariaRamacieri, ClaudiaRamacieri, ChristinaRamirez, MariaRamos, RobertoRasile, AngelaRatic, SylvieRavenda, VeronicaRea, RosettaReali, LuciaReda, BobReda, SabrinaRibarova, RossitzaRicciardi, LucianoRiddell-Tauber, MarieRidolfi, NadiaRinaldi, AlexRinaldi, LoriRing (Napoleoni), MarisaRivard (Blondin), ChristineRivera, MariCarmenRiviera, PatriciaRiviera, MatildaRoberge, PheniceRobichaud, PaulRobinson, AuroaRobinson Pezolet, NicolaRobitaille, MichelleRoboz, Jay-JayRoffolo, SalvatoreRoll-Kirsch, CarynRomano, Anna MariaRonzales, JerlyneRoper, MargaretRoss, Andrew Rossi, JosieRossito Adams, LaurieRoston, Sari

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Rouben, ElaineRoussos, JimmyRoussos, DemetriosRubin, EarlRustemi, GentaSa, CynthiaSacchetti, RosaSaleh Mohammed, TasleemSandy (Dickson), SharonSansalone, ImmacolataSantella, PatSantini-Ferretti, DebbieSantino, MariaSantoianni, NikkiSantori, RebeccaSaracino, MarkSasso, PatriziaSavoie (Vincent), NatashaScanlon, PeterScarola (Puma), MimmaSchafer, CindyScharing, BarbaraSchartwz, AileenSchiavi, NadiaSchwartz, CoreySchwartz, LaurenSciascia, ChristinaSciascia, FrancescaSciscente, LindaScott, RobSelwood, LesleySemeniuk, Patricia (Patty)Sendel, AllanShahmoon, VarditShea, SarahSheffren, CassandraShugar, TammyShuklinsky, TzviSilverman-White, CorrieSim, LisaSimonetti, JoanneSitaras, RoulaSkinner, LisaSkoda (Donato), Theresa

Smalley, KathySonnor, TraceySousa, SandraSpatari, AngieSpetsieris, AnnaStack, EileenStafiej, PaulStark, PeggyStates, James CharlesStaunton, FrancesStein-Elman, JacquelineStern, AlisonStern, MeiraStewart, NancyStrizzi, MarioSuissa-Moghrabi, SandraSurette, VincentSussman, EstherSymansky, LeslieSzoke, JudithSzymanski, MargaretTaffert, HeatherTagliamonti, Lori-AnnTagney, RubyTangredi, CathyTartaglia (Vizzi), LettyTartamella, SilvaTartamella, SandraTavares, AnabelTaverna, JosieTchelikdjian, TalarTeoli, LaurieTeoli, MaryTetlow, DonnaTherrien, CindyThomas, SandraThompson-Dudley, MargaretThorpe (Koeppe), MarciaTittler, RebeccaToribio, Ana MariaTortorici, MariaTortorici, LillaTortorici, FilippoTriassi, Josie

Trigatti, MinaTrudeau, JasonTrudeau, GenvevieveTsoukatos, IreneTsouluhas, AnnaTurchenkova, AnnaTurcot, PierreTuzzolino, AnaliaUdvarhelyi, JenniferVaccaro, AngelaVaccaro, RosaliaVadish-Shoam, MaggieValcelli, MirandaValcourt, MarioValerio, MadeleineVan Frank, BrianVani, NadiaVardaro, LauraVazalinskas, EdithVenettacci, MaggieVenturella, LorieVidetic, AndreaVilain, MireilleVinci, BarbaraVogas, LindaVoglini, NadiaWaghorn, RobertWallace, SiobhanWang, ArthurWarren, SheilaWashington, CeleniaWeber, BryanWeinstein, MarlaWertheim, LeaWhite, MitchellWilson, TaniaWong, SusanYared, NadineYasvinski, DonaldYupanquo, BrendaZarlenga, LilianaZekaria, Lula

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10 to 14 Volunteers with 10 to 14 years of serving the EMSB community

Abergel, AudreyAdler, Ellen

Akerib, VivianAlexakis, TheodoraArtmann, MariaAthanasatos, RoulaBaas, Isabelle

Barnes, RobertBarrafato, RosannaBastien, JenniferBeauchamp, SophieBeaumier, Stephanie

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eJoin us for a day of learning and networking to help us all be better parents!Workshop topics will include:

May 5th, 20188:45 to 2:156065 boulevard des Grandes-Prairies

Please share with other EMSB parents!Share & Follow

facebook.com/EMSBParents @EMSBParents

Register Herewww.emsbparents.ca/2018

Contact Usparentconference@emsb.qc.ca or Brigida Sellato 514-483-7200 ext. 7242

• Helping our kids through anxiety & stress• Dealing with bullying• Getting through homework• Cannabis & the new laws• Caring for special needs kids & teens

FREE coffee, muffins & lunch!

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This past year we lost a very special lady who had an integral part in starting this event 17 years ago.

Tonight we dedicate this year’s event to her.

In her capacity as Communications Consultant, she worked closely with the Parents Committee, offered guidance and advice to governing boards

and was an excellent events planner for the Board.

She had both outer, and inner beauty, was gracious from her fingertips to her very core.A professional, pleasant lady who will be missed by her family, many friends and past colleagues.

For all of us that you helped and for all the

special fun you put together,

We miss you more than you can know.

In Tribute

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Joseph Perretta, Lina Di Giovanni and

Alexia PerrettaJoseph Perretta, his wife Lina Di Giovanni and their daughter Alexia, are this year’s EMSB Volunteer Am-bassadors of the Year. This award was created in 2017, with football legend Anthony Calvillo becom-ing the first recipient.

The family owns the Montreal Arctic Junior AAA hockey team. Players visit schools regularly to push the stay in school message and take part in scrim-mages. They give thousands of free tickets away to students each season and provide opportunities for aspiring singers to perform the national anthem. The EMSB logo even appears on team jerseys and on their website. It is a true and unprecedented part-nership.

While Joseph is the owner and team president, Lina serves as vice-president and oversees community outreach and game day operations. Alexia, graduat-ing this semester from Concordia University, handles marketing and social media. When Alexia attended Dalkeith Elementary School, John Paul I Junior High School and Laurier Macdonald High School, Lina was extremely active in a volunteer role.

“I volunteered for 13 years, since Alexia was in Pre-K all the way up to Secondary V,” Lina said. “I was in PPO’s, Governing Boards, served as a regional del-egate many times and sat on a variety of other com-mittees, including CPC. I have to say that I was quite busy volunteering for the EMSB and I loved every minute of it, especially the rewarding feeling of seeing a child’s big smile or a hug from a child and knowing that as a volunteer you definitely make a difference in their life.”

Lina’s giftware/jewelry novelty store in RDP, Décor En Folie, remains a popular stop for school officials looking to buy giftware.

For Lina, Joseph and Alexia, hockey was always a fa-vorite pastime; they loved watching the Canadiens on TV, or playing the sport with friends as they are busy running their own companies. That was what they knew, until they attended one of the Arctic’s games during the 2013-2014 season.

“My cousin invited us to watch his son play hockey,” said Lina. “He had been playing for so long and we had never gotten a chance to see him play, so we went as a family to watch. We haven’t missed a game since. We fell in love with the hockey players, their parents and the whole idea of teamwork and com-munity. The determination the players showed de-spite having inferior equipment was just inspiring to us. Imagine, they have to balance school, part-time jobs and being on the ice five times a week for prac-tice and games. It’s incredible!”

After just a couple of months of being dedicated super fans, Joseph and Lina decided that the team needed more than just their support in the stands; they needed it at the ownership level. “We bought the team because we believe in the players,” Lina explained. “We want to give them the chance to play at their full capacity.”

The family has invested a significant amount of mon-ey in the team, with no expectation of any financial returns. Junior AAA teams do not come anywhere close to making money. Buying new uniforms, top of the line equipment and arranging proper ice time for practice were some of the improvements they implemented. “This isn’t a venture to make money,” explained Joseph. “We know we will lose money every year, but this is an opportunity to help your community. We want to give these boys the support they need to succeed, both on the ice and off of it.”

Lina added, “We are showing our daughter and others that life is not always about what’s in it for ourselves, but it’s important to do good for others. I know it’s going to be a big adventure, but we are very happy and determined to succeed.”

Many of the players are EMSB grads, so it is exciting when they return to their former schools.

On another front, Lina has been at the forefront of sensitizing students to brain tumour awareness. She launched the Franco Di Giovanni Foundation in 2004. It is named in honour of her late father who had lost his battle with Glioblastoma, an incurable

Volunteer Ambassadors of the Year:

Behar, VladaBlack, AmeiliaBonavoglia, EnzaBruna, TinaBrunner, KelliBucciarelli, LisaBuchanan, ValerieCalce, RosaCapplette, SerenaCarpio-Mak, LuisaChemtov, RobinCheng, JenniferChomar, SusanChudobey, DonnaChung, SusieChurchill, SandraCohen, DanColantoni (Keller), TeresaColapelle, PaolaColeto, AnnaColombo, CathieCommodari, AnnaConforti, LisaCorinthios, AngelaCoyle, LindaDaly, AllanD’Amico, DianaDaoust, ManonDe Marinis, MariaDe Santis, CynthiaDePetrillo, RosaDeschamps, RenéeDi Iorio, ConnieDore, Caroline

Downey, ChristineDykstras, MoniqueFaoro, LouisFedele-Vasile, MaryFedenko, NickFiori, AnnaFiori-Iacampo, AnnaFortugno, FrancescoFrance, Lori-AnnFukuyama, NaomiFuoco, JamesGaudio, PatriciaGentile, LiaGilmour, TheresaGlad, SuziGoldman, SondraGravel (Switzman), SissiGreco, SandraGreco, MariaGross, OlgaHalliday, TimHandal, VeroniqueHardcastle, JanetHardy, RenéeHewel, BeateHolder, SandraHussein, AlanHynna-Rebelo, AnnIacono, MariaIavasile, LuciaIssenman, GailJacobson, LarryJohannesson, LynnKandilerakis Koziris, Antonia

Kelly, KirkKoziris, Lymperis PerryLacroque, AnnieLage, AddieLaviolette, LornaLavoie, CatherineLoth, CarolyneLoupessis, KaterinaMambro, StephaniaMandelos, ZoeMarcovecchio, PatrickMarkopoulos, FotiniMarra, FrankMatsushnita, TatsyMattei- Di Sciullo, NadiaMazzariello, FrancoMazzoldi (Zaccaria), JosieMcCrae, GeorgeMedoff, LoriMeissner, TabathaMeldrum, DouglasMichetti, BrendaMiele, MariaMittag, AnnaMonereau, AnneMucciarone, MariaNascimento, IsildaO’Neil, CarolynPalucci, ToniPatel, SamanthaPatriarca, VictorPau, RonaldPerez, ElizabethPetrella, Antonietta

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form of brain cancer. All proceeds go for brain tumour research for the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hos-pital. “When my father died in 2002 from a malignant brain tumour, I didn’t want his death to become just another statistic....I wanted to make a difference and that’s when I

By Mike CohenEMSB Communications and Marketing Specialist

started the Foundation,” Lina said. “My com-mittee has raised over $340,000.00 for brain tumour research, specifically for Dr. Rolando Del Maestro’s research lab and simulation center at the Neuro.”

Many schools had bake sales, dress-down days and other fundraising events. The annual Franco Di Giovanni Foundation Gala is held each April at Prima Luna Reception Hall. Alex-ia won the Young Philanthropy Award in 2010 for all of Quebec for her volunteer work with the Foundation. She was in fact nominated by the Neuro.

We are proud to honour this family of com-munity leaders.

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Educational travel changes students’ lives

To learn how, attend EF’s seminar

April 17, 2018, 5-6pm

EMSB Volunteer Appreciation Night

Start planning

eftours.ca | 1-800-387-1460

The World Leader in

International Education

On behalf of the EMSB Parents Committee, thank you for everything that you do. Your commitment to our schools and our children is an invaluable asset.

These days, there is no more precious commodity than time, and we thank you for giving yours.

The EMSB Parents Committee recognizes that parent volunteers are a key pillar of our educational system and play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of our schools

and most importantly, our children.

Congratulations and thank you for your unwavering service to our EMSB community.

- The EMSB Parents Committee -

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart”. Elizabeth Andrew

The EMSB Parents Committee promotes parent participation in the activities of the school board, designates parents to various school board committees & elects parent commissioners to the Council of

Commissioners, gives advice to the school board, informs the school board of the needs of parents, and gives its opinion to the school board on important matters and consultations.

www.emsb.qc.ca (click on parent info)Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EMSBParents

20 to 24 Volunteers with 20 to 14 years of serving the EMSB community

25+ Volunteers with 25+ years of serving the EMSB community

Abbs-Brochu, ArzineAnnibale, MariaBerneti, BennyBorzone, PaolaBrochu, DonaldCampese, JosieChatzidakis, GeorgiaCiancimino, RosieClifton, CarolCooper, CynthiaDahdah, NijadDahdah, Joanne

Del Baso - Saracino, TinaDi Re-Frattasi, PinaFord, PeterFox-Thomas, DebbieGanz, RobertGow, IanGuitouni, AgnesJones, HeleneLato, CarmelaLian, JingLoffredi, AngeloLoureiro, Ana PaulaLu, YanMarcogliese, DeborahMarra Zuanigh, Laura

Martignetti, CarmelaNolan Barillaro, PatriciaPiedimonte, LisaRoberts, ToddRoberts-Joseph, AviceSantoro-Petti, FrancesSkagkos, BettySmyth, PattyStrban, RosemarySwetland, ToniSztych, NatalieTeemal-Boivin, RoxanneTrineer, LeahVellopoulos, NiaYeursh, Susan

Bassett, NancyChinappi-Reginato, Rita

Corlett, GlennisDe Palma, MaryFunaro, Pia Green, Bella Guzzo, Rosario

Leibov, Barbara Liberopoulos-Stark, PatPace, LuisaUgolini, AlessandraYaruch, Luba

Dafniotis, TheodoraDe Giorgio, ConnieDeMichele, DoloresEckhart-Oner, IngridFalcone, Mary

Federico, BerdadetteFenwick, PennyKircoff (Vaudry), MonaKoehnlein, ChristineLivingstone, HazelMarrazza, MarioMcMann-Paolucci, Rose

Newsome, JoanSharma, MaheshSpreckley Nakanacagi, MaryTrocard, ThoraWilliams, AnneWilson, Valerie

15 to 19 Volunteers with 15 to 19 years of serving the EMSB community

22 Petrolekas, MarinaPittarelli, RosannaPrimeau, MarioPrincz, VickyRackover, HeidiRadhakrishna, TanyaRafai, NadiaRebellati, CatherineRobin, DonnaRodrigues, IsabelRoll, CarynRoop, FrankRosa, ElviraRowland, AlexandraRumoro, Grace

Salvatore, OnorinaSaragosa, LauraScarano, TeresaSchafer, CindyScopino (Petrone), GemmaSeifeddine, FaysalSendel-Satenstein, LaurieShen, Chung FangShuklinsky, DayleSimandl, JanaSmall, AndrewSoares, Cynthia BrancoStrahl, JenSweeney, SharonTamburrino, Cathy

Tarulli, LauraTortoricci, NinettaValente, AnabelaVarano, VincenzoVella, KathyVerrillo, RosannaVisona, CatyVitetta, StephaniaVrentzos-Bizogias, RoulaWood, DessalenZanchetta, NadiaZanetti, AdrianaZarate, Mary BethZitella, CarmenZorbas, Alex

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Parent Volunteer Appreciation Night is funded by La Capitale Financial Group, corporate sponsors, advertisers and the EMSB.

Without the support of our generous sponsors through their donations and gifts the EMSB Volunteer Event would not be possible.

From the bottom of our hearts we thank you for your continued support and commitment to this event.

Special Thank you to:

♦ JamieOrchard,GlobalTV ♦ NathalieLauzière,SecretaryGeneral,EMSB ♦ AlltheElementary&HighSchoolPrincipalsfortheirsupport ♦ RichardValentine,RickDiToto&MelPololos, TechnologyServices,Tech&Sound ♦ AngelaSpagnolo,AssistantDirector,AEVS ♦ AliceSideropoulos,Principal,St.PiusXCareerCentre ♦ SabrinaMendaglio,EMSB ♦ HeatherStarnes,EMSB

Chair/Program Book Editor

Program & Emcee Chair

Program Book Designer & Layout

Program Book Coordinator

Reginal DirectorSecretary

Parent CommissionerWebmaster/Graphic ArtistWebmaster/Graphic ArtistWebmaster/Graphic Artist

Digital MarketingParent Volunteer

Brigida SellatoCommunicationsConsultant

Michael J. CohenCommunicationsand Marketing Specialist

Nur Erdem

Stuart Nulman

Pela NickoletopoulosCarole GagnonMario BentrovotoAndrea Di Tomasso Meghan DoveDaria SvechnikovaDaniel SmajovitsGail Giannakas

PLANNING COMMITTEE

EMSB AND THE IMPACT GAME WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 7:30 P.M.

www.emsb.qc.ca

MONTREAL ALOUETTES GAMEFRIDAY, JUNE 22, 7 P.M.

The traditional “EMSB Night” will take place onWednesday, June 13 (7:30 p.m.) when the Impact hostOrlando City at Saputo Stadium. Tickets, which areusually $33 each, are priced for EMSB families at adiscounted $15 each. Some of the proceeds will gotowards Inspirations, a publication dedicated to thespecial needs community. We will accept ordersonline at www.emsb.qc.ca/impact. Two students willbe awarded the prestigious Tony Licursi Scholarship,that comes with a $500 bursary.

The annual EMSBAlouettes game atMcGill Stadium will beat the home opener onFriday, June 22 (7 p.m.)when the WinnipegBlue Bombers are the visitors. Schools can also obtaintickets for their own fundraisers by contacting John DiTerlizzi, super visor of group sales and hospitality atjditerlizzi@ montrealalouettes.com. Please follow ourwebsite www.emsb.qc.ca for more information.

promotions hannah inc.promouvoir le succèsbranding success

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