Hughes, Maldoff and Sharp to receive Goldbloom Awards for Community Contributions

MONTREAL, Sept. 16, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) is pleased to bestow its sixth annual Sheila and Victor Goldbloom Distinguished Community Service Awards on James Hughes, Eric Maldoff and Marjorie Sharp, three individuals who have improved the lives of English-speaking Quebecers both as dedicated volunteers and in their professional careers.

James Hughes, who is probably best known for his work as the former Executive Director of the Old Brewery Mission, has devoted his entire career to public service, mostly in Montreal's English-speaking community. He is the co-founder of Youth Employment Services (YES) and is presently President of the Graham Boeckh Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the lives of those affected with mental illness. Around the same time that he founded YES, Hughes started the Prometheus Project, a mentoring organization designed to help students at risk of dropping out of high school to persevere and complete their secondary education.

Lawyer Eric Maldoff has been an effective advocate for minority language rights and access to health and social services for more than three decades. Also a leader within Montreal's Jewish Community, Maldoff was the Chairman of the Montreal Children's Hospital for 17 years and was instrumental in the merger of the five affiliated hopsitals to create the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). He was the founding volunteer president of Alliance Quebec and had a guiding hand in numerous other organizations including the Quebec Council of Minorities and Participation Quebec.

Marjorie Sharp is a lawyer and tireless volunteer who has been active in women's and human rights. She helped establish L'Abri en Ville for individuals with mental health issues, Auberge Madeleine for battered women, and Elder-Aide for seniors. Over many decades of community involvement she has participated in multiple organizations including the YMCA, Camp Cosmos for underpriviledge children, as well as Christ Church Cathedral and its affiliated Social Services Society. She also sat on the Ethics Review Boards at the Royal Victoria Hospital donating her time and expertise as a lawyer.

"These are wonderful individuals who devoted their considerable skills to improve the lives of their peers and who truly represent the values of community leadership for which this award was created," commented QCGN Board Member and Jury chair Irene Tschernomor. "We received a great many nominations and the judges had a difficult task in narrowing down the list."

The Sheila and Victor Goldbloom Distinguished Community Service Award, which honours individuals who have gone above and beyond in contributing to the vitality and reputation of the English-speaking community and who have built bridges of understanding between Quebecers of different backgrounds, was created by the Quebec Community Groups Network in 2009. This year's winners were selected by an eminent jury of past winners and judges including Casper Bloom, Judy Martin, Kevin Tierney, Father John Walsh and Irene Tschernomor.

The Goldbloom Awards will be presented during a community recognition evening at Montreal's St. James Club on Thursday, October 23. The evening will be hosted by Mutsumi Takahashi of CTV Montreal and will include entertainment by comedian/musician Lorne Elliott. You can reserve your tickets online at www.qcgn.ca.

The Quebec Community Groups Network (www.qcgn.ca) is a not-for-profit organization bringing together 41 English-language community organizations across Quebec. As a centre of evidence-based expertise and collective action, it identifies, explores and addresses strategic issues affecting the development and vitality of the English-speaking community of Quebec and encourages dialogue and collaboration among its member organizations, individuals, community groups, institutions and leaders. 

SOURCE: Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN)

Rita Legault, Director of Communications and Public Relations| [email protected]; Telephone: [phone], ext. 223 | Cellular: 514-912-6555