Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington (CSGW) once again brought home numerous awards from Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers (OACS) and Crime Stoppers International (CSI).
The OACS awards ceremony was held following the annual general meeting Nov. 13, while the CSI awards were announced over 10 days, ending on Dec. 3, 2021. The efforts recognized were from initiatives developed in 2020.
For the sixth year in a row, CSGW was named to the Marla Moon Memorial Award of Excellence (100,001 to 299,999 Population) by OACS judges. No other program has won six years consecutively.
The Marla Moon Memorial Award of Excellence is present by OACS to programs that best demonstrate outstanding effectiveness in tip management, crime resolution, volunteerism, community engagement and media partnerships.
Additionally, the program was named the winner of Best Video Feature (Pop. 100,001-299,999), in partnership with Wightman TV and Launch It Minto for What’s Happening Minto. This entry was also recognized by CSI. CSGW won Best Radio Feature (Pop. 100,001-299,999), in partnership with 88.7 FM The River by both OACS and CSI as well as Best Digital Engagement (Pop. 100,001-299,999) for the Crime of the Week Live (COWLIVE) live streams on the CSGW Facebook and Instagram platforms.
CSGW also won Online Excellence from OACS for the outstanding work being done to connect with the community on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube as well as the www.csgw.tips website. This is category is open to all programs of all sizes.
CSGW’s Communications Policy and Training Module was also named as Best Special Project (Pop. 100,001-299,999) by OACS. It has since been adopted by the OACS as well as the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association and offered to programs throughout Canada as free communications training.
The Best Video submission was from May 2020 where Launch It Minto Coordinator & What’s Happening Minto Host Somer Antonopoulos and CSGW Program Coordinator Sarah Bowers-Peter discussed how the Covid-19 pandemic was impacting CSGW and how the program was adjusting to rise to the challenge. It also featured information on the modified Mulch Sales in Mount Forest and Guelph, to be known as “May Mulch Month”. It was an opportunity to inform the public on how to report lock-down infractions and to assure the community that Crime Stoppers is still open. Judges felt connecting with the community at this time was important and the information was impactful. Both LaunchIt Minto and Wightman TV are located in the Town of Minto, in the County of Wellington.
The Best Radio submission was from the October 2020 Mount Forest Shredding Event where 88.7 FM The River morning show host, Rob Mattice was broadcasting live on location. During three separate segments, he, along with Bowers-Peter, discussed the Shredding Event fundraiser, as well as the importance of preventing identity theft, how fundraising is necessary for CSGW, and an invitation for members of the public to apply to become a volunteer. Each segment also acknowledged the support of event sponsors and the CSGW volunteers who made it happen. Judges felt this more than captured the mission of Crime Stoppers. 88.7 FM The River is located in Mount Forest, Township of Wellington North in the County of Wellington.
“Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington is very proud to be recognized by our peers,” said CSGW Board President Deryck West. “The Board is not in it for awards. We are in it to make Guelph and Wellington County safer. However, the awards do let us know that our efforts are worthwhile and that we are making a difference in our communities. None that that would be possible with our great community partners like 88.7 The River, Wightman TV & Launch it Minto as well as many others.”
“2020 was a challenging year for all Crime Stoppers programs,” said Program Coordinator Sarah Bowers-Peter, “But we are delighted to bring home all these awards to show the City of Guelph and County of Wellington that the work we are doing locally is making a difference. Not even a pandemic could stop us from taking tips and engaging with our communities!”
