CityKidz bus driver named Stoney Creek citizen of the year

As a volunteer for CityKidz Hamilton, Tom Busch said he’s often asked why he leaves the comfort of his own home to spend his spare time helping others.

“I don’t have to,” the 2017 Stoney Creek Citizen of the Year said in his acceptance speech. “I want to. (And) I get to do it.”

Busch, who drives one of the CityKidz red school buses, helps youngsters aged three to five participate in Saturday KinderKidz sessions at CityKidz’s Burlington Street theatre. He also supports other CityKidz programs.

A funeral director at Donald V. Brown Ltd. in Stoney Creek for 33 years, Busch has also been active in local school nutrition programs, a soup ministry and with Reach Forth, a Christian sportsthemed nonprofit group. Busch was among those honoured during the Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce’s annual Community Achievement Awards gala Thursday at Winona Vine Estates.

Other winners included: • Lucia Marchionda, Junior

Citizen of the Year: A Grade 12 student at Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School, Marchionda, has racked up more than 3,000 volunteer hours in the last four years, including providing support to students at St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary School and the Federazione Abruzzese di Hamilton e Distretto. Marchionda also organizes Her Smiles for Kids fundraiser in support of McMaster Children’s Hospital’s oncology and hematology 3F clinic.

• Winona Gardens, Legacy Award: Winona Gardens supports many community initiatives, most notably the Winona Peach Festival. The business has operated for 65 years and is operated by the Beattie family whose roots in the area date to the 1700s, • Tiercon Corp., Outstanding Large Business of the Year: Tiercon, a supplier of exterior components and systems to the automotive industry, has more than 500 employees with three plants in Stoney Creek. The company recently expanded its footprint in the Stoney Creek Business Park.

• A.S. Security and Surveillance, Outstanding Small Business: The business began 10 years ago in Stoney Creek and serves building owners in Hamilton, Halton and Niagara. Owner Anthony Stayrer supports numerous organizations, including the Salvation Army and the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA.

• The Stoney Creek Historical Society, Community Recognition Award: The volunteerdriven group includes about 90 members who maintain a research library and archives, preserving the history of Stoney Creek for future generations.