By Camela Fragomeni

HAMILTON, ONTARIO (TheSpec) — A community breakfast on this dreary morning in Hamilton inspired and encouraged 400 people, many of them youth, to work for peace and to do their part to better the world around them.

The 2009 YMCA Peace Medal Breakfast at the Hamilton Convention Centre gave several Hamilton residents and groups awards for selfless and tireless work to improve the lives of others.

This year’s winners are:

Hanna Mengistu (Adult individual), who helps her Ethiopian community keep its culture and language alive and was instrumental in establishing a day camp for Ethiopian children, taking a work leave of absence to ensure its success.

Michael Goodale, 21 (Youth individual), whose mentorship and leadership has encouraged and motivated other youth to make their McQuesten neighbourhood a better place to live. He has used rap to help them express themselves and he’s the go to guy when adults look for ways to engage youth, having worked through many personal barriers and challenges himself.

Melissa Ricci, 18 (Youth individual), who fundraises for the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation, the Harvest for Hope, and Relay for Life, raises awareness of homelessness, discrimination, poverty and seniors isolation, participates in programs such as Random Acts of Kindness and co-chairs the Hamilton Community Foundation Youth Advisory Council.

Halloween 4 Hunger Student Committee (Youth Group): St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School students who run a Halloween food drive. In 10 years, it has grown from 25 volunteers collecting $4,548 worth of food to 600 collecting $133,000 worth. Free the Children has asked them to develop a handbook for others on how to start such a program.

The McQuesten Community Planning Team (Adult Group): A grassroots group working to improve life in one of the city’s lowest income and under-serviced neighbourhoods.

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