KUDOS FOR MEAGHAN
Volunteer work rewarded
Meaghan Marton may only be 24 years old, but she has a clear vision of what her future holds.
And as one of 50 young adults from across the country to win a Shaw Communication Outstanding Canadian award, Marton’s chosen path is also garnering recognition from others.
The Amherstburg woman has been actively engaged at the local level, on both sides of the border, since graduating from the University of Windsor in 2015 in psychology and women’s studies. Her volunteering has now helped her obtain a $1,500 Shaw Communication Outstanding Canadian Grant.
“I was blown away and literally had tears in my eyes ... I was so surprised and shocked,” she said. “I don’t do the work I do in the community for recognition. I do it because I know it has an impact on the youth I work with and that’s all that I really need. But to be recognized on a national level is pretty amazing.”
Marton was nominated by a colleague at Leadership Advancement for Women in Sports. The Shaw grants are forwarded to a charity of the recipient’s choice, and Marton’s $1,500 prize is going to Motivate Canada, an organization that inspires youths to make changes. She said Motivate Canada — a non-profit organization that empowers youths through sports and recreation — helped shape her own life.
Through Motivate Canada, Marton in 2015 attended Activate, a national youth leadership program that inspires, trains and supports youth leaders to develop and initiate sports and physical activity projects in their community.
“When I came home, I was responsible for creating an Activate in Action program in the community,” she said. “So, seeing a need, I started a youth boxing program at Border City Boxing.”
Once the program was up and running, she started working at the YMCA as a facilitator for youth programs for new Canadians. She oversees an integration and leadership program designed to provide peer support and enrichment opportunities for newcomer youths.
“Canada has seen a huge increase in the number of mental-health issues with youths, especially in the Indigenous communities,” she said. “If I can even provide the youth I’m working with, with just one glimmer of hope it can be the one thing that changes them.”
When Marton graduated from university, she retired from running, a sport that had taken up a lot of her extra time. She headed over to the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society to volunteer. Soon, her passion and love for animals had her volunteering across the border at Detroit Animal Welfare Group, a non-profit animal rescue group.
“I recognized in women’s studies that everyone has an impact with whatever they do,” she said. “What you say, what you eat — it all impacts someone regardless of whether you believe that. So I figured if I’m going to live this life why not do something that’s going to impact someone in a positive way?”
In a few years, Marton would love to open her own sanctuary or rescue group for animals. She would also like to start her own foundation and maybe set up a place for people to come and learn about and share the passion she has for animals.
“If I can inspire one person to make a change in one aspect, then hopefully they will go on and inspire others,” she said of her outstanding Canadian award.
“I don’t do it for the recognition, but when people take the time out of their day to tell you that it changed them, it’s reassuring. I know it matters and I know it will change someone’s life.”
I don’t do the work I do in the community for recognition. I do it because I know it has an impact on the youth I work with and that’s all that I really need.