🍂 As fall officially begins, we are excited to share the latest updates, recognitions and community highlights from across our network.
September saw inspiring initiatives, local celebrations and important milestones that showcase the strength and spirit of our communities.
Let’s dive into what we accomplished in our Village this month!
Village moves 🌟
A warm welcome to the new team members who joined Village this month, including:
AuroraToday reporter Yoyo Yan
Membership & marketing coordinator Kimberlee Trumble
OrilliaMatters community support specialist Tom Rose
TorontoToday reporter Emma Johnston-Wheeler
Village wins big at the 2025 Canadian Community Newsmedia Awards 🏆
There were 1,020 entries to choose from at this year’s News Media Canada: Canadian Community Newsmedia Awards (CCNAwards), which honour outstanding editorial, photography, multimedia and overall excellence in community newsmedia publishing.
Of those nominations, Village Media was named as a first place winner in three separate categories!
A big congratulations to Sudbury.com's Tyler Clarke, BarrieToday's Kevin Lamb and our SooToday Random Acts of Kindness team (Zack Trunzo, Drew Armstrong, Zaafina Naqvi, Elise Nelson and me! 😊) on all winning first place in their respective categories.
Clarke won Best News Story for his article ‘Sudbury’s police service far more secretive than counterparts’. Lamb won Best Feature Series for a series of articles that put a face on the homelessness crisis in Barrie. And SooToday's Random Acts of Kindness team won for Outstanding Community Service. 👏
Congratulations all! This is a well-deserved acknowledgement of the meaningful work you are all doing each day.
Celebrating our first CollingwoodToday Community Builders Awards 🌟
The Collingwood community enthusiastically welcomed our Community Builders Awards program, with passionate nominators, engaged judges and an excited room of sponsors and special guests gathering to honour the extraordinary recipients.
The awards mark a new annual tradition recognizing the people, businesses and organizations making Collingwood a stronger, more connected community.
Congratulations to our 2025 winners:
Arts award — Maggie Giles
Health Care award — Braden Usher
Legacy award — Bill Sloan
Sports and Recreation award — Collingwood Sport & Recreation Alliance
Unsung Hero award — Rhonda Day
From grassroots volunteers to innovative entrepreneurs, each award recipient embodies the spirit of generosity, resilience and community pride.
💛 📆 Hearts for Hospice launches October 1
We have something exciting brewing in October to help support our local hospices!
Starting on October 1, we will be using SPACES to bring our communities together for a friendly and meaningful local challenge: 💛 Hearts for Hospice.
This initiative gives residents the opportunity to vote to support their local hospice, with the community with the most votes receiving a $5,000 donation for their hospice.
Here's how it works:
- Starting tomorrow, visit the challenge post on your local SPACES by clicking the corresponding link below:
BarrieToday
BayToday
BurlingtonToday
CambridgeToday
CollingwoodToday
DundasToday
GuelphToday
HaltonHillsToday
MiltonToday
Oakville News
OrilliaMatters
SooToday
Sudbury.com
'Like' the challenge post to cast your vote. Each reaction counts as one vote for your local hospice.
Rally your friends, family and neighbours. Encourage your local network to react and help your community climb to the top of the leaderboard!
We would love for you to help spread the word to your network of local residents and businesses so we can make a big impact together.
Thank you for supporting this initiative and making a difference in our community. 🫶
SooToday readers buy 1,687 meals for seniors in need
In a powerful demonstration of community-driven generosity, SooToday readers surpassed an ambitious fundraising goal by providing 1,687 meals for seniors and community members in need in Sault Ste. Marie.
The fundraiser's original goal was to buy 300 meals, but in record time readers rallied to donate over 1,600 meals to Meals on Wheels for seniors, people with disabilities and community members recovering from illness.
The program, a lifeline for over 50 years, not only offers nutrition to those in need but it also provides safety checks and social connection, helping individuals live at home longer with independence and dignity.
SooToday matched the first 150 meals purchased, helping fuel the campaign’s momentum. The rapid response from the community reflects an inspiring commitment to supporting vulnerable neighbours during times of need.
Spotted around the Village 🌎
We had a number of Reader Favourite events take place around our network in September. The events created space for both celebration and community connections.
The event led to great conversations with Sharon Bollenbach, who is the Executive Director of FIFA World Cup Hosting 2026 Toronto and Adam van Koeverden, who now serves as Secretary of State for Sport and MP serving North Burlington and Milton. It was a fantastic event on how the communities surrounding Toronto can really get involved in the largest sporting event in the world.
✨ Spotlight on sponsorships ✨
In September, we sponsored 28 events & initiatives in 14 different communities 💛
Network-wide
Terry Fox Foundation
BarrieToday
Homes for the Holidays, Parkinson Superwalk
BayToday
NBRHC Hospital Walk/Run
BradfordToday
A Bradford Christmas
CollingwoodToday
Stonebridge Wasaga Beach Blues Fest
GuelphToday
Golf For Griefwalk, Elmira Multicultural Fest
HaltonHillsToday
Kathryn's Krop 4 a Kure
MidlandToday
Power of Giving GBGH
MiltonToday
Milton Fall Fair, Milton Community Resource Centre
Halton region
Halton Women's Place
NewmarketToday
Holistic Healing Fair, CMHA North York and Simcoe
Oakville News
Safetynet
PelhamToday
Pelham Cares - Denim and Diamonds, Pelham Concert Series
SooToday
Nogdawindamin Golf Tournament, Sault Ste. Marie Kidney Foundation Walk, Up and Down Lounge Humane Society Fundraiser, John Rhodes Scholarship Dinner, Battle of the Bands
Sudbury.com
Cinefest, Sudbury Wolves, Luncheon of Hope
TorontoToday
World of Jazz Fest, Common Compass
Pawesome Villagers of the month 🐾
Meet Mario & Ziggy! 😻
Also Known As: Meowrio, Mar-me-mo, MarMars or Meowmert & Ziglet, ZigZag, Zigalicious or ZiggyBiggy. (They can't be the only pets with a million nicknames, right?!)
Proud pet parent: Danielle Fleming
Until October ...
