Brockville Chamber Announces Wendy Galloway as Recipient of 2026 Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award

Brockville – The Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Wendy Galloway as the recipient of the 2026 Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award, honoring more than five decades of extraordinary community service, civic engagement, and leadership in disability inclusion across the region.

Raised in a family where community involvement was simply a way of life, Wendy learned early the importance of showing up and contributing. One of her first independent volunteer roles began at age 12 at her local YMCA, supporting inclusive programming for children with developmental disabilities—an experience that helped shape both her career and lifelong commitment to service.

Over the past 50 years, Wendy has contributed thousands of volunteer hours to initiatives focused on community wellbeing, volunteerism, fundraising, women’s leadership, youth development, and community safety. She served for more than a decade with the Volunteer Centre of St. Lawrence–Rideau, including as Board Chair, championing the value and impact of volunteerism throughout the region. During that time, she also played a key role in organizing major fundraising initiatives such as the 1000 Islands Wine and Food Festival and Dancing Stars Leeds Grenville.

Wendy further demonstrated her commitment through a ten-year tenure as Health & Social Services Co-Chair on the United Way Leeds & Grenville fundraising cabinet. These campaigns raised and distributed millions of dollars in support of essential local programs and services benefiting vulnerable individuals and families.

Her contributions to community safety include a decade of service with the Athens OPP Community Policing Committee, where she helped establish the North Leeds Victim Services Unit and supported the launch of Operation Lookout and Marine Operation Lookout campaigns addressing impaired driving.

Guided by the belief that many hands make light work, Wendy has also volunteered with Brockville Women’s Network, Athens Cub Scouts, Pineview School Parent Council, and Brockville minor hockey teams and tournaments. Most recently, she has supported local arts and cultural initiatives as an event volunteer for the Aaliya Dance Hafla and the Arts Hub “A Night at the Gallery” fundraisers. Across her roles, she consistently contributes as both a committed leader and a dedicated behind-the-scenes supporter, helping ensure the success of programs, campaigns, and events.

Professionally, Wendy is a Canadian Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CCRC) and has worked for more than 35 years with Career Services of Brockville, supporting individuals with disabilities in their employment journeys. She is particularly proud of her role in helping develop the Virtual Reality training module Vjob Ready, designed to enhance workplace readiness and accessibility.

Wendy views her professional and volunteer work as inherently collaborative and credits the many volunteers, colleagues, and community partners she has worked alongside for making her involvement meaningful and impactful.

“For more than 37 years, Wendy Galloway has embodied what it means to serve with integrity, humility, and purpose,” said Cynthia Sparring, Executive Director of Career Services. “As her employer at Career Services, we have had the privilege of witnessing her dedication firsthand for over 35 years. Her professional leadership and lifelong volunteerism are deeply intertwined, extending far beyond her role and helping to shape a culture of service, collaboration, and compassion, with an impact felt not only within our organization but across the Brockville community.”

The Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award recognizes individuals whose sustained contributions have made a lasting difference in the quality of life across the Brockville and District region. Wendy Galloway’s decades of service exemplify the spirit of volunteerism and community leadership this award was created to celebrate.

The Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award is sponsored by the 1000 Islands Community Development Corporation and the Volunteer Centre of St. Lawrence Rideau. Recipients are chosen by an independent committee of judges following review and assessment of multiple criteria including volunteer history, years of service, community impact, mentorship, and personal generosity.

Mrs. Galloway will be celebrated during a special ceremony following the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting at the Brockville Country Club on Thursday, March 26th.

It was announced earlier that Mr. Kevin Beattie is this year’s Lifetime Business Achievement Award winner. Kevin Beattie will also be celebrated following the Chamber’s AGM.

Those interested in attending can RSVP at the Chamber of Commerce website www.brockvillechamber.com or call 613-342-6553 by March 20th.