Top provincial honour inspires student to continue giving back
After receiving an esteemed provincial award for young volunteers earlier this month, Windsor's Maya Mikhael has reaffirmed her passion for community service as she begins her next chapter at university.
Mikhael, 18, was among 24 recipients of the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers, recognizing her group Maya's Friends — a charitable lemonade stand she founded at the age of eight — which has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities across Windsor-essex.
The Hon. Edith Dumont, lieutenant-governor of Ontario, presented the awards during a ceremony at Queen's Park on March 1.
The news “came as a surprise” to the young philanthropist, who in 2019 received the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers from Gov. Gen. Julie Payette at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
“I was sitting in a class during welcome week when I found out that I had won the award,” said Mikhael. “It was amazing. I was really lucky to have that opportunity.”
She had recruited 30 students from across Essex County to help her make fresh-squeezed lemonade in exchange for donations of cash or canned food. All proceeds from the lemonade stand went to local charities, including the Salvation Army, the Downtown Mission, and Ronald Mcdonald House.
While she has since closed down shop, Mikhael is onto her next chapter as a first-year student at the University of Windsor in the Behaviour, Cognition & Neuroscience program.
“I'm hoping to one day become a doctor and help treat homeless people,” she said, “and open my own homeless shelter.”
Mikhael also keeps busy as a member of 11 clubs at the university and producing her podcast, Windsor's Truth, discussing issues in the community.
Her ultimate goal is to continue “spreading kindness and keeping a positive attitude with everyone around me.”
“No matter what anyone says, keep doing what you're passionate about and do it because you feel the need to help and because you feel like you truly love what you're doing and impacting the people around you.”