The Outstanding Young Person's Awards 2007

Congratulations to The Outstanding Young Person's Awards Recipients 2007

JCI Halifax congratulates the 2007 recipients of the OYP Awards presented on May 17, 2007 and extends thanks to the category sponsors.

Left to right: Ron Lovette, Amanda Sutherland, Karen Furneaux, Christine Goudie, Lauchie MacLean

Photography by: AMac Photography www.amacphotography.com

2007 TOYP Recipients

Achievement:  Karen Furneaux
Innovation:  Christine Goudie
Leadership:  Lauchie MacLean
Contribution:  Amanda Sutherland
Accomplishment:  Ron Lovette

2007 Sponsors

CBI Developers
Edwards Randall Financial Archiects
Saint Mary's University
TD Bank
Atlantic Business Magazine
Freedom 55
Halifax Club
Norex
Tradebank

Recipients Bios

Achievement:  Karen Furneaux

Karen Furneaux represents the best in humanity.  She has inspired thousands of young athletes to reach for their best and to follow their dreams.  She has proven that anything is possible no matter where you are from.  Not only has she inspired so many young people with her multitude of medals and her two Olympic Games appearances, she has also worked diligently to bring her message to thousands of young people in schools across the province.  She has worked with the Esteem Team where she delivered a message of healthy living and confident attitudes, the RBC Olympian program where she has spoken not only to children but to executives, and the Ronald McDonald house where she participated in encouraging children to be active.  She has also helped her fellow athletes by providing sports psychology assistance for free, when athletes could not afford to cover the costs.  She has proven that not only can someone achieve great feats but they can also help others reach their goals.

Karen Furneaux has proven she is a great Young Canadian.  She has dedicated her life to the pursuit of her goals and has achieved unprecedented feats along the way.  She has appeared already in two Olympic Games and has won a series of medals at the World Cup and the World Championships in Kayaking.  She has dedicated her spare time to motivating young people and helping build a healthier province.  Through her journey she has also obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Dalhousie and a Master of Science with Honors in Sport Psychology.  It is important to remember Karen is just 30 years old.  She has never rested on her laurels and is currently training and preparing for the 2008 Olympics where her goal is to medal. 

Innovation:  Christine Goudie

Christine Goudie recently graduated in the top of her class from NSCAD University, with a Bachelor of Design, Major in Graphic Design degree. She has studied design for seven years beginning with Alberta College of Art and Design (Calgary 00’), Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (Calgary 01-03’), Concordia University (Montreal 03-04’) and finally Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (Halifax) where she completed her studies in April 2007.

She has been employed in the area of design throughout her post secondary education and has developed a wide range of interdisciplinary design skills. She has worked for such companies as The Royal Bank of Canada, where she designed advertising campaigns and print material that was distributed throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Territories gaining her recognition across western Canada. She also has a growing client base across Atlantic Canada, which includes Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) in St. John’s, as well as Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD U) in Halifax, NS.

During her time at NSCAD, Christine became very involved in the area of product design with a focus on ergonomics and human factors. This research combined with her passion for product design, lead to her designing wheelchair seating for persons with limited mobility. Designing for an improved quality of life is the area of design in which Christine intends to pursue since recently completing her degree. Her final university project involved the independent research and redesign of wheelchair seating as a way to address the health risks that wheelchair users face on a daily basis.


Leadership:  Lauchie MacLean

Lauchie MacLean purchased the then bankrupt Glenora Distillery in 1994 and in the 13 years since that time has become renowned as Canada’s only producer of single malt whiskey, and the world’s only producer of single malt whiskey aged in ice wine barrels.  Having most recently been awarded a silver medal at the World Spirits Competition in San Francisco for his newest product, Glen Breton Ice, Glenora Distillery, under Lauchie’s management and guidance, continues to provide the province, country and world with award winning products, while delivering a source of income and pride to its’ community in Glenville Cape Breton.

Under Lauchie’s leadership, the distillery has contributed greatly to the local economy, not only as an exporter of single malt whiskey, but also contributing largely to the tourism industry.  The Distillery is North America’s only single malt distillery and Inn, mirroring distilleries found in Scotland.  Offering daily tours, gift shop and accommodations, Glenora draws more than 10,000 visitors to it’s serene corner of the province. 

With annual production of 2000 dozen-bottle cases, demand is constantly outpacing supply, particularly with the product being marketed in the United States, Bermuda and Mexico, with orders arriving from Switzerland, Ireland and France. 

Lauchie has always displayed interest in his community, whether in Cape Breton or in Halifax, where he currently resides.  He actively gives back to his community and always displays a value and appreciation for friends, family and life, while building one of Nova Scotia’s most sought after brand. 


Contribution:  Amanda Sutherland

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”  Mahatma Ghandi

When you receive an e-mail from Amanda Sutherland at the bottom of the message you are always reminded of the above quote.  Amanda grew up in what many would describe as a somewhat less than perfect childhood.  She spent 19 years of her life in the Child Welfare System in Nova Scotia after being removed from the care of her mother with an eye injury that left her permanently blind in one eye.  It is through these difficult, and sometimes rough early beginnings that has given Amanda a powerful inner strength to do something to make things a little better for children at risk, be they in Halifax, Nova Scotia or Kabul, Afghanistan. 

Her life has touched thousands of children by her tireless work, ranging from providing school supplies to a children’s village in Zimbabwe, to counseling homeless teenagers in Halifax.  Seeking neither fame nor financial gain, she has made and will continue to make a difference in the lives of children around the world. 

Amanda’s has most recently been awarded the Rotary’s World Peace Fellowship.  A bursary program established in her name after her initial donation of $500 to assist youth leaving the Child Welfare System in NS with their educational goals.  To date, $50,000 in bursary funds have been awarded. 

Currently studying for a Masters degree that focuses on World Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Bradford in England, Amanda has been selected to work on an internship with the Canadian Department of Justice in Ottawa.

Accomplishment:  Ron Lovette

Most people believe that a post secondary education is critical for success. While this is true in a lot of instances, Ron is a testament of how important vision, commitment, drive and an entrepreneurial spirit is to success.  Having only a high school education and one credit from the Mount, Ron realized early that his passion was in finding new concepts, and creating a new market for something. Ron founded his first business under RFL Group of Companies, Source Security, in 2002, after convincing a Halifax nightclub owner to outsource the security work to him. Starting out with three employees, the company today has a staff of approximately 250 part-timers who provide security services for everything from junior high school dances to major rock concerts in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. In September 2005, Source Security provided 500 security people for the Rolling Stones concert in Moncton, the biggest outdoor event ever held in Atlantic Canada.

Today he operates RFL Group of Companies which includes Source Security; Milano's, Nova Scotia's first bring-your-own wine restaurant;  Silver Marketing, which consults on nightclub and event marketing, Castone, general contracting services for the residential and commercial markets and RFL's latest project, the Noodle Nook, a Thai and Asian late-night restaurant that offers take-out food in Chinese noodle boxes in downtown Halifax.