UNITED COUNTIES of SDG, Ontario – William and Shannon Young have been nominated for SDG Community Service Awards. The couple has been actively involved in charity work, and they avidly raise awareness about accessibility needs and services in the community.
“We were contacted about the award days after raising (awareness of) accessibility issues at the Kemptville Music Festival,” said William Young.
Shannon, who requires a wheelchair, was involved in an accident about seven years ago. Since then, the couple has been utilizing Easter Seals programs, in particular the Access2 Program, which allows free access to caregivers of differently abled individuals without breeching any privacy issues at different locations.
Recently, the couple raised $1,740 for Easter Seals through a Drop Zone Challenge. After surpassing the goal of $1,500, William rappelled down a 20-foot office building in Ottawa on Aug. 20, while in a wheelchair with a GoPro. Shannon is considering participating in the drop next year. The couple is thankful for numerous sponsors who supported them.
“We’ve had a lot of help from people and programs over the years,” said William. “We’ll need a lot more as time goes on. This was a chance for us to do something to help pass on that assistance.”
No stranger to community recognition, Shannon received the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) President’s award last year for her advocacy concerning accessibility in the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB).
“We’ve done the same kind of advocacy in the area…calling out big organizations when their accessibility is sub par and helping other smaller businesses with ways to increase their accessibility on their limited budgets,” explained William.
To watch William’s Drop Zone challenge video, click here.
