South Frontenac Volunteer Appreciation

Kelli McRobert | Dec 13, 2023

This past weekend volunteers from across South Frontenac attended an appreciation luncheon hosted by the Township.

Members of Council were out in force, welcoming each of the 75 or so volunteers as they filtered into the renovated Storrington Centre

Each table was dressed up in a formal festive theme and some guests were treated to a poinsettia gift. Counselors stood at the ready as they prepared for the feast as they were the delegated servers for this special occasion.  

Volunteers from several organizations within South Frontenac milled about and met other like-minded people. After a brief welcome by Mayor Vandewal, hot soup was served by the counselors to each table and included creamy broccoli or delicious sweet potato ginger, yes, please!  

Rampant Kitchen (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) from Inverary, was the caterer for the event and knocked it outta’ the park!

This mouth-watering meal was beyond delicious. It warmed the guests on a bleak rainy day and truly was a hearty treat to celebrate community, giving, and volunteerism.

As the table chatter continued between bites, a slide show shared volunteer statements as to why they volunteer, interspersed with a fun photo montage. Each picture captured a moment in time, a year of great events and worthwhile causes, community-driven and creatively offered up for residents to enjoy. 

Members of the public were asked to nominate residents in three special categories and the following individuals received special recognition at the event:

Youth Volunteerism: 18-year-old Samantha Pringle has been volunteering for the past 11 years organizing charity bake sales for many local causes, as well as with the Storrington Pastoral Charge, the Kingston Basketball Association, and St. Patrick’s Church. Going above and beyond the 40 volunteer hours required for high school, Samantha is an incredible and selfless young woman who is very well deserving of this recognition.

Good Neighbour: Laura Embleton is a key volunteer behind many of the community events hosted in South Frontenac over the past few years. Laura is an active member of South Frontenac Fire and Rescue and Loughborough Firefighters Association. Through the Association, Laura has organized parades, open houses, water fun days at schools, Sydenham Canada Day activities, the ice fishing derby, and much more. Many of these events take in donations for local causes and over the years, hundreds of dollars and pounds of food have been collected at these community events.

Dedication Recognition: Karl Hammer, President of the South Frontenac Stocksport Club, was instrumental in bringing the America’s Cup Stocksport Tournament to Harrowsmith this summer. This international tournament brought competitors from all over North, Central, and South America to South Frontenac and was a logistical triumph to successfully host. Since the mid 2010’s, Karl has dedicated thousands of hours to bringing the sport to life in the community, ensuring it is inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to all.

Honourable mentions went to Doug and Joyce Casement from the Verona Lions Club, Denise Tipton with the South Frontenac Museum Society, Dorothy Verbeek with Hartington Community Caring, Shirley O’Neil with the Storrington Lions Club, Kelli McRobert who volunteers with many organizations and initiatives, and Dave Linton with Southern Frontenac Community Services.

Each award recipient received a floral bouquet from Scarlett and Rose, who also generously provided the centerpieces for the gathering.

Amanda Pantrey got a ‘shout out’ from the Mayor on her exceptional planning and logistical skills.

As I sit here, reflecting upon the day in my South Frontenac hoodie, I am comforted by knowing I am part of this exceptional group. Residents of South Frontenac are lucky to have the opportunity to participate in so many family-oriented activities year-round. The local charities are fortunate to have such strong support from the groups who work tirelessly for those in need. 

The Township is always looking for volunteers for its events like Snow Social in January and Family Day in February. If you would like to volunteer, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Thank you, South Frontenac and the councilors, for a lovely afternoon, and well done to this year’s recipients. To those volunteers who could not attend your contributions are appreciated. 

See you all in 2024!