This year's recipients of the Herb Gray Harmony Award and the Champion Award have been announced.
Fred Francis, the executive director of The Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County (MCC) says Rob Petroni from LiUNA! 625 is the recipient of the Herb Gray Harmony Award and Dr. Paul Ziter is receiving the Champion Award.
Francis says both men will be recognized at the MCC's awards gala on Thursday, May 1 at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts.
He says Petroni and Dr. Ziter are community advocates and community centric.
"Both of them said, well I'm not deserving of these awards, I'm just doing my job," says Francis. "I don't think I'm warranted for this recognition, give it to someone else because someone else must be more deserving than I am and I'm like that exactly why you deserve this award. This is exactly why, we want to recognize you."
Petroni is currently the Business Manager of LiUNA! Local 625 and Director of Organizing for Central and Eastern Canada.
According to the MCC, he has championed inclusive and barrier-free workplaces, spearheading transformative projects such as the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, and the NextStar EV Battery Plant.
Dr. Ziter is a local physician, who has been serving the Windsor-Essex community for 45-years.
His family practice is based out of the Windsor Professional Centre on Howard Avenue. He also serves as an Associate Professor in Family Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Francis says both men advocate for positive change in the community.
"The fact that they're both selfless individuals, they're both community advocates, they both want to make positive change in Windsor-Essex in their own unique ways, in their own unique different sectors, it really warrants their recognition," says Francis. "They both think they're just doing their job, they're not doing anything special and in fact not realizing the special things they do do, the leaps and bounds they go to make our community a more welcoming and better place for all. That's exactly why Rob Petroni and Dr. Paul Ziter are deserving of these awards."
The Herb Gray Harmony Award celebrates individuals and organizations that have made remarkable contributions to fostering a welcoming community while the Champion Award honours first-generation Canadians who have made a significant and positive impact on those in the community.
Retired AM800 morning show host Lisa Williams will host this year's event.
