I rise today to acknowledge the recipients of the inaugural year of the URock Volunteer Awards. This past Saturday night we had a fantastic awards gala where we presented the eight recipients with their awards while enjoying some of this province's top musical acts.

The URock Volunteer Awards was developed to acknowledge the unique and creative ways young people are volunteering in their communities. Nominations could be made in two categories: individuals and organizations or non-profits. Individual nominees must have made outstanding voluntary contributions, be 30 years of age or under and a current or past resident of Newfoundland and Labrador. Organizations or non-profit groups nominated must be led by young people or have made an outstanding contribution for the betterment of youth.

When nominations closed, 65 nominations were received. The volunteer work of all these nominees was exceptional and everyone has made a difference in the lives of someone else. If those nominated are any indication, the future of our province is bright and exciting. In the end eight deserving recipients who have done extraordinary work in their communities received their awards.

The recipients of the URock Volunteer Awards for 2010 were:

In honour of their unique and creative volunteer activities, we presented the winners with an equally unique and creative award. Each recipient received a custom designed Garrison electric guitar. They were quite surprised to receive such an incredible piece of art and it was a privilege to be there to present them with this prestigious award.

These remarkable young people have gone above and beyond the call of duty and have had a positive impact on their community. I would like to thank those who took the time to nominate these young people. Having the support of family, friends and mentors and getting this recognition from them is vital to these volunteers continuing their great volunteer work. The recipients of the URock Volunteer Awards are leaders in their communities and I hope recognizing the amazing work they have done will encourage other young people to get involved in their communities and in non-profit organizations.

Photo #1: On Saturday, April 24, 2010, the Honourable Dave Denine, Minister Responsible for the Volunteer and Non-Profit sector, awarded eight recipients with the inaugural URock Volunteer Award. The award was established to recognize the outstanding work done by young volunteers and organizations with a connection to young people. Each recipient was awarded with a unique Garrison guitar designed just for them.