Parker Davis, Owen Sound District Secondary School graduate and Annan resident, will be awarded the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers for the hundreds of hours he has contributed to our community. This prestigious award is given to ten young people (15-24) each year who are outstanding volunteers. Parker will receive his medal from the Honorable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, at a ceremony in Queen’s Park on Monday, October 19.
Parker’s contributions to our community have been extensive. In March 2020, Parker became a founding member and the president of the Owen Sound and District Junior Optimists (OSDJOs), a service club to enable youth to contribute to our local community. During the 4.5 years under his leadership the OSDJOs donated over $50,000 to a variety of causes.
Parker’s keen sense of community needs led to impactful local initiatives. He was integral in decisions to support the local food bank, women’s centre, and warm clothing drives. Parker also backed other members’ ideas to donate to the local hospice, school breakfast programs, toy drives, and animal shelters. One of the club’s significant projects under Parker’s leadership was raising funds for the local homeless shelter. Parker personally participated in the ‘Coldest Night of the Year’ community walk and slept outside overnight to raise awareness for housing insecurity. His efforts extended to supporting Ukrainian families in our area, financing immigration efforts for a local newcomer family, and donating to the Owen Sound Legion to support local veterans.
Other community involvement for Parker includes participation in the Ontario Youth Advisory Council, selected to attend the Mother Earth Youth Summit by the Owen Sound Field Naturalists, and contributed to a nearby watershed rehabilitation project in partnership with a local Metis organization. Parker has been integral to the Owen Sound Wheel & Ride program for the past three years. This is an award-winning community festival that brings together service clubs, first responders, city staff, and local businesses to focus on road safety and donate bikes to people in need. Parker was a successful recipient of a Community Foundation Grey Bruce grant that provided funds to purchase food, promote the event, and pay for the repair of over 60 bikes. Parker’s community contributions were recognized when he was awarded the 2023 Owen Sound Youth Volunteer of the Year.
In addition, Parker’s compassionate leadership was evident in his response to community tragedies. He sensitively discussed these events with club members and suggested meaningful ways to acknowledge the losses. Whether it was providing funds for lifeguard training after a student’s drowning, donating to an endowment fund for a youth who succumbed to an eating disorder, supporting a local youth mental health counselling service to assist students battling with depression, or aiding a family after a community member’s tragic death. Parker’s empathy and willingness to act were unwavering.
Parker is currently pursuing a degree in Medical Science at the University of Western Ontario, with ambitions to return to our community as a medical professional.
For more information, about the Owen Sound and District Junior Optimists, email osjroptimists@gmail.com or their sponsor organization, the Optimist Club of Sydenham and District, by messaging them on Facebook.
