Celebrating those who embody the spirit of giving
Clockwise from top left: Jos Nederveen, Joshna Maharaj, Peter Sloly and Brenda Flaherty, recipients of this year's McMaster Alumni Community Impact Awards. Maharaj and Sloly are the inaugural recipients of the Greater Toronto Area Award.
They live to give, and ask nothing in return.
The McMaster Alumni Community Impact Award recognizes McMaster graduates who have made a positive impact to the Hamilton or Greater Toronto Area communities, by enhancing the quality of life while reflecting the values of McMaster — integrity, quality and teamwork.
This year’s winners of the Hamilton Award are Brenda Flaherty ’90 and Jos Nederveen ’78.
Flaherty serves as chief operating officer and executive vice president at Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation, and is devoted to serving her community. She actively volunteers in a number of capacities, and is Chair of the Board of YMCA Hamilton, Burlington & Brantford, is a member of the YMCA Canada Board and serves on the YMCA Canada World Relationships Committee. She has also been Chair of the Board of the North Hamilton Community Health Centre and a board member for Mark Preece Family House.
Nederveen is a McMaster B.P.E. graduate, a teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic Secondary School, a volleyball coach to numerous local athletes at both the high school and club levels, and a leader in coaching certification and education. His commitment to sport doesn’t end there. He continues to innovate and develop new ways to impact our local community.
Read Flaherty and Nederveen’s full bios.
The pair will receive their awards during a luncheon at the Art Gallery of Hamilton on Wednesday, Sept. 24. Click here to reserve tickets.
The inaugural recipients of the Greater Toronto Area Award are Joshna Maharaj ’00 and Peter Sloly ’89.
Maharaj’s strong social justice and sustainability ethics flourished during her time as the chef at The Stop Community Food Centre, where she created and facilitated innovative and delicious community food programming, putting a grassroots kitchen on par with the rest of the kitchens in the city.
Sloly is in his 25th year with the Toronto Police Service. He is in charge of Community Safety Command (CSC) which includes 17 Police Divisions, the Divisional Police Support Unit and the Toronto Police Operations Centre. Sloly has served on many boards throughout his career, including: Spirit of the People; Black Business & Professional Association’s National Scholarship Foundation; Merry Go Round – Kids Cops & Computers; Covenant House; and several others.
Read Maharaj and Sloly’s full bios.
The Toronto-based winners will receive their awards during a luncheon at The Berkeley Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Oct. 1. Click here to reserve tickets.
