2014 HALL OF FAME AND VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Provincial organization recognizes industry leaders
(March 2, 2014) Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) is proud to announce the new inductees to the FEO Hall of Fame as well as the 2014 FEO Volunteer of the Year. FEO believes it is important to recognize the significant contributions of these individuals to the festival and event industry; without passion and dedication, this industry could not survive. The Volunteer of the Year and Hall of Fame Awards were handed out on Saturday, March 1 during FEO’s Annual Conference Excite & Energize in Richmond Hill, ON.
Hall of Fame
Since 2000, FEO has now inducted 32 people into its Hall of Fame representing festivals, municipalities, organizations and events from across the province. Each individual named to the FEO Hall of Fame is someone who has dedicated their career to the festival and event industry and who has made a lasting contribution to their community, festival, event or organization.
FEO would like to congratulate the following 2014 Hall of Fame Inductees:
The late Gerry Ginsberg, Canada Blooms: The Flower and Garden Festival (Toronto)
Patrick Taylor, TD Toronto Jazz Festival (Toronto)
Volunteer of the Year Award
FEO maintains that the importance of volunteers to the festivals and events industry cannot be undervalued. FEO’s commitment to the festivals and events industry is strengthened by recognizing the volunteers who have distinguished themselves by virtue of their service to their community through significant involvement with festivals or events. This year, FEO is excited to announce the addition of two new awards under this category. The Family Volunteer of the Year Award and the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award. Both Awards recognizing families and youth who understand and demonstrate the underling value of the festival and event industry which is to bring people together in celebration.
FEO would like to congratulate the following 2014 Volunteers of the Year:
Volunteer of the Year: Cameron Payne, Carrousel of the Nations 2013 (Windsor)
Youth Volunteer of the Year: Brittny DiScola, Collingwood Elvis Festival (Collingwood)
Family Volunteer of the Year: The Gunn Family, Summerfolk Music & Craft Festival (Georgian Bay)
Excite & Energize 2014 FEO Conference was held at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel and Suites in Richmond Hill, ON.
About FEO
FEO provides education, marketing and advocacy services and operates Canada’s largest dedicated festival and event Conference. FEO also publishes and distributes an annual 250,000 circulation (plus on-line exposure) consumer guide to Ontario festivals & events, another guide to promote its industry supplier goods and services, facilitates industry-leading marketing research, oversees an industry-leading awards recognition program, manages a dynamic on-line website, markets a weekly festivals & events industry news-brief with a distribution exceeding 2,500 email recipients and advocates at the provincial and federal level for an improved operating environment within which its members can successfully conduct their business.
The festivals and events industry in Ontario is estimated to generate in excess of $2 billion annually in contribution to regional GDP, create/sustain in excess of 50,000 full-year-equivalent jobs and foster hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes at all levels of government.
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Media Contact:
Nichole Fogarty
Communications Coordinator, FEO
nichole@festivalsandeventsontario.ca
http://www.festivalsandeventsontario.ca/
@FEOntario – 519.537.2226
