Bill Gourley
Volunteer Appreciation
Award

Annually, the Fredericton Community Kitchens Inc, issues a notice of the nominations for the Bill Gourley Volunteer Appreciation Award to recognize the voluntary achievement and contributions made by an individual toward the Fredericton Community Kitchens and their mandate.

Volunteers improve our quality of life and strive to make our communities better places to live. We want to thank them and recognize them for their work with our organization. The Bill Gourley Volunteer Appreciation Award is a great way to say thank you to a selfless individual who is giving of their time to our community and help to feed Fredericton’s hungry.

Recipients will receive a personalized thank you plaque and their name added on a larger plaque to be displayed at the main location of the Kitchens.

This award is named in honour of an outstanding volunteer, past Board member and long-time supporter of the Fredericton Community Kitchens, William (Bill) Gourley, who passed away April 2022.

Bill's journey with the Fredericton Community Kitchens began in 2004 as a humble volunteer, quickly advancing to President and benefactor until his passing in April 2022. His tenure was marked by a blend of entrepreneurial insight and a deep care for the Kitchen's staff and clients, significantly shaping the organization's current framework. His major achievements include professionalizing the Kitchen's operations, establishing vital partnerships, initiating significant fundraising efforts, and creating a supportive human resources framework.

Beyond his operational contributions, Bill's legacy is also defined by his exceptional generosity. Leveraging his business, GAP Auto, he offered substantial support to the Kitchen through resources like storage space, printing services, and facilitating food donations. His commitment extended to providing employment and financial assistance to Kitchen clients and staff, embodying a spirit of teaching and support that ensured the continued growth and impact of the organization.

2024 AWARD WINNER ⋆

Amy Watt

Amy is a dedicated community member known for her commitment to family and service. As COO of Right Choice Realty and a mother of four, she fosters independence while supporting those around her. She actively contributes to Fredericton, supporting community kitchens, female entrepreneurs, and youth sports. Alongside her husband, she has led impactful fundraising efforts, helping address homelessness, food security, and mental health.

How does the award nomination work?

Anybody can nominate an individual whose voluntary work strengthens and enriches the mandate of the Fredericton Community Kitchens.

- The nominee must be at least 18 years of age.
- The nominee must be a New Brunswick resident.
- The application will be evaluated but not limited to the following criteria:
  - The duration of the volunteerism; the number of years, months, and approximate number of volunteer hours the nominee committed to the Fredericton Community Kitchens.
  - The type of involvement the nominee has with the organization and what type of volunteering they performed.
  - The level of impact the nominee has had on the organization through their volunteer efforts.
- The nominee must serve the organization in a purely voluntary capacity.
The annual deadline for nominations is April 15th. The recipient will receive their award and recognition during the Fredericton Community Kitchens’ Spring Gala on Saturday May 24th at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. The award winner will be our guest of honour and can bring up to 2 guests.
All eligible applications will be compiled by the Executive Director of the Fredericton Community Kitchens and will be judged and evaluated by the Executive Board of Directors of the Fredericton Community Kitchens. The selected individual will be contacted about their award no later than April 30th of each year.

Members of the Fredericton Community Kitchens Board of Directors are not considered eligible for the award until a period of at least six months has elapsed from the completion date of their term of office.