Regional Council recognizes local recipient of the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers

Waterloo Region – David Willmott of Kitchener received the ‘Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers’ at tonight’s Regional Council meeting.

Regional Chair Karen Redman presented the medal on behalf of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, in recognition of Willmott’s extraordinary volunteer efforts in the region.

Willmott started volunteering with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in 2001, following his retirement from the manufacturing sector. He offered his services to the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP), a program designed to help low income residents complete their annual tax returns.  He volunteers his services to numerous agencies, including the Region, during the tax season and completes approximately 1,100 tax returns annually.

“David Willmott knows that filing income taxes often results in vital financial support for low income families and individuals,” said Chair Redman.  “David continues to positively impact many of our citizens by generously volunteering his skills and services, and as a result, makes our community a better place.”

A Kitchener resident, Willmott drives to the Region’s Cambridge office three times a week at his own expense during tax season to provide free drop-in tax services. Willmott believes helping low income people file their taxes provides them better access to benefits.

In June 2019, Willmott was also named an ‘Ontario Senior of the Year’ by the Region.

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For more information, please contact:

Bryan Stortz, Director of Communications, 519-575-4408 or bstortz@regionofwaterloo.ca