Agincourt Community Services Association is proud to have many dedicated and committed volunteers that give of themselves and their special talents at our agency. Some have just started volunteering while others, like our long time volunteer George Watson has been volunteering with ACSA for over 30 years. George has been generously giving of his time to volunteer in the ACSA food bank as a driver, picking up food donations from schools, faith houses, and local business all over Scarborough. George, a life long resident of Agincourt, started by volunteering on Saturdays picking up food in his own pickup truck and delivering it to the food bank. After retiring George teamed up with another long time volunteer Nick Barillaro and started doing these food pick ups on a weekly basis. Every week , through rain and snow picking up food from donors and delivering it to the food bank. Helping those less fortunate and in need of a helping hand is what drives our George and Nick.
Last year, George’s beloved truck broke down and he had to stop doing the rounds as his family didn’t want him to purchase another truck. This is where our story starts.
George’s kids, Lori and Ken, knew how much volunteering with ACSA and giving back to his community meant to George and they were saddened that their father couldn’t volunteer anymore. George would express to his family how much he missed his “duties” and shared his worries of food donations not getting to the food bank for those in need. His children sent an email to Councillor Norm Kelly’s office to see if the Councilors office could get a vehicle donated to ACSA to support the ACSA food bank and just as important so that George could continue to extend his generous spirit within his Scarborough community and continue to pick up food donations.
ACSA sees a lot of need and it’s through the generosity of so many that this community based Agency can continue to serve so many. Our supporters include all levels of government, foundations, donors, and local businesses. This story ends by a connection made through Councillor Kelly’s office and local business owners Chris and Aneta Gautier of Roadsport Honda at 940 Ellesmere Road, Toronto, ON. Chris did not hang up the phone when Councillor Kelly’s office called with the request, instead he graciously worked at finding and successfully donated a van to ACSA. A van that George and Nick (and ACSA staff too) will continue to drive throughout Scarborough picking up food donations for our ACSA foodbank.
At noon today, May 1st 2015, George and Mildred Watson, their three children Doug, Ken and Lori, Roadsport owners Chris and Aneta Gautier, Councillor Norm Kelly and ACSA all stood around a newly donated van, with the trunk brimming with donated food from Chris and Aneta, all enjoying the warmth that this moment came with, a satisfaction that we’d all put in a solid day’s work and now we reaped the rewards of knowing a job was well done.
Today, community came together and we realized the power of working together for a greater cause that benefits so many. I also realized that our volunteers, residents, businesses and elected officials really care about Scarborough. The expression of generosity today was truly humbling and made me proud to live work and play in Scarborough. We have so much to be proud of.
