We hope you're soaking up the sunshine and enjoying all that summer has to offer!
As July winds down, we are taking a moment to reflect on the exciting milestones, updates and initiatives that have shaped this month.
Village moves 🌟
We welcomed national programmatic account manager Kasey Woods to our Village in July.
Welcome, Kasey!
Village grows to 27 local news sites ✅
Our latest owned and operated site launch was highly anticipated from the Dundas community and features a strong team of journalists at the helm.
Award-winning editor Brenda Jefferies, who has deep roots in the area, leads the newsroom. She’s joined by Cara Nickerson and Reagan Spencer, both with diverse experience in community journalism. Rounding out the Dundas team is general manager Liz O’Donnell and community partner specialist Daniel Coleman.
Together, this talented team is committed to delivering accurate, engaging and relevant news to the residents of Dundas.
Honouring quiet heroes: three local leaders recognized for lifetime of community impact
Our Community Builders Awards program has grown once again and we are now honouring unsung heroes with a single-award program in Cambridge, Midland, Newmarket, Elora & Fergus and Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Winners have been selected for three of the new communities and the inspiring recipients are a true testament to how one person can make a big impact.
Tammy Saunders won the CambridgeToday Unsung Hero Award in recognition of her quiet dedication to building a stronger, more inclusive Cambridge community. Over 25 years of working at Langs Community Health Centre, she has empowered youth, supported adults and fostered connection, always putting empathy and relationship-building at the heart of her efforts.
“Loneliness is an epidemic,” Saunders said. “The cure is community."
Darryl Gray won the NewmarketToday Unsung Hero Award for his outstanding community leadership. He consistently shows up and tackles complex issues facing Newmarket with strategic and practical initiatives. Darryl’s work has transformed lives and put systems in place to support some of the most vulnerable people in our community for generations to come.
“Starting conversations with ‘What can I do to help?’ is really powerful,” Gray said.
Tim Dunlop won the MidlandToday Unsung Hero award in recognition of a lifetime devoted to serving those in need. Through his unwavering compassion and tireless commitment, Tim has consistently gone above and beyond to support the most vulnerable among us, exactly when they have needed it the most.
“Helping people doesn’t always have to be life changing," Dunlop said. "It just has to be what they need in that moment.”
Congratulations to our Unsung Hero award winners! We look forward to meeting more changemakers with the upcoming programs in Elora & Fergus and Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Another perk added to Village Gold 🌟
We are excited to announce that our new Press Release tool is now live!
Village Gold partners get free access to our new Press Release tool through their business dashboard, allowing them to easily draft and submit professional-grade press releases by simply filling out a few fields.
Once submitted, the release is routed to the appropriate editorial team for review (note: publication is not guaranteed). This tool, along with the upcoming multi-market Gold Mine posting feature, are effective ways we’re helping local businesses share their stories.
Spotted around the Village 🌎
✨ Summer sponsorships are heating up ✨
In July, we sponsored over two dozen events & initiatives in our communities 🫶
BurlingtonToday
Burlington Food Truck Festival, Burlington Handmade Market, Burlington Food Bank, Halton Black History Society, Strong & Free
CollingwoodToday
Georgian Bay Cancer Support Centre
EloraFergusToday
The Elora Festival
FlamboroughToday
Hamilton Food Truck Festival
GuelphToday
The Elora Festival, Team Addy 3x3 Basketball Tournament & Family Fun Day
MiltonToday
Art House Halton
OrilliaMatters
Orillia Scottish Fest
PelhamToday
South Niagara Rowing Club
SooToday
Go North Music Festival, Rotaryfest, Algoma Veterans Association Red Friday Golf Tournament, Village of Hilton Beach Arts on the Dock & Classic Car Show, Old Town Hall Summer Concert Series, Soo Football Club COPPA Giovanni Soccer Tournament, Wheels on the Water Car Show, West Fest
Sudbury.com
NLFB, Charitable Gaming Association of Sudbury and Valley East, Home Instead Hoedown, St. Joesph's Health Centre
TorontoToday
Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Big on Bloor Fest, Brazilfest
Pawesome Villager of the month 🐾
Meet Tattle! 😻
She’s a 16-year-old tuxedo cat who demands a bit of crust on pizza nights 🍕
Proud pet parent: Chelsea Clarke
Until August...
