By: Matt Weingarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Chatham-Kent Senior Achievement Awards, an annual recognition of older adults who have made outstanding contributions to the community through volunteerism.
Mayor Darrin Canniff and Chatham-Kent Council are inviting residents to submit nominations ahead of Seniors’ Month in June.
“We are requesting the public’s assistance to identify seniors who are making Chatham-Kent a better place to live,” Canniff said. “Everyone knows someone who has lent a helping hand, whether as part of a group or as an individual. Here is your chance to let us know about that person so we can recognize their contributions.”
Now in its 38th year, the Senior Achievement Awards have honoured more than 1,000 Chatham-Kent seniors since their inception in the 1980s. The awards are presented annually during Seniors Month in Ontario, typically held in the first week of June.
Since the awards began in Blenheim in 1987, more than 1,000 Chatham-Kent residents have been recognized for their contributions to the community.
The Senior of the Year Award was introduced in 2012, with past recipients including Dixie Peters of Morpeth (2014), Marion Matt of Bothwell (2015), and Bob Hamilton of Bothwell (2019).
How to nominate a senior
Nominations are open to Chatham-Kent residents aged 60 and older who have demonstrated significant achievements through volunteering. Submissions can be made online at Let’s Talk CK (www.letstalkchatham-kent.ca/chatham-kent-senior-achievement-awards-2025) until Sunday, April 13, 2025.
For those without computer access, assistance is available by calling 519-360-1998 ext. 3001.
Senior of the Year to be announced at Aging Well Conference
The 2025 Chatham-Kent Senior of the Year will be revealed at the Aging Well Conference on June 4, 2025, at Hidden Hills Golf and Country Club. The event is free, but registration is required through Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/aging-well-conference-free-tickets-1245380178639?aff=oddtdtcreator).
The selection process is overseen by an impartial committee, and the Mayor’s Office encourages residents to help recognize seniors who have positively impacted the community.
For more information, contact Councillor Alysson Storey, CK Chair, Celebration of Older Adults, at 519-350-5689, or the Mayor’s Office at 519-360-1998 ext. 3001.
In 2024, Inder and Jarnail Gahunia were honoured as Chatham-Kent Seniors of the Year for their 45 years of dedication to the Chatham-Kent Indian and Sikh communities.
