Award Recipients
Allan Cohen
Allan served on the JMCC Board of Directors from 2012 to 2025, bringing 13 years of dedicated leadership and support. He held key roles including Treasurer and Committee Chair, and played a vital part in the recruitment of our CEO. Allan also helped connect JMCC with In Honour of the Ones We Love, leading to the creation of Play McGivney. His generosity, involvement, and deep commitment to our mission left a lasting impact.
In Honour of the Ones We Love
In Honour of the Ones We Love was recognized at our June 2017 Annual General Meeting for their generous support of the Play McGivney accessible playground. Founded by Anita Imperioli and her family, the organization has spent over 20 years improving lives across our community and has been a driving force in making our playground dream a reality. Anita and Teresa Silvestri accepted the Friends of the Centre Award on behalf of their team, whose financial support—and encouragement of others to give—made a lasting impact.
Smilezone Foundation
We were pleased to welcome Scott Bachly, Chair of the Smilezone Foundation, back to JMCC to accept the Friends of the Centre Award at our June 2017 Annual General Meeting. Thanks to the Foundation’s generosity, our Centre now features vibrant new Smilezones—including colourful murals, fresh paint, a fish tank, and a GestureTek projector in the waiting room. These enhancements help create a warm, welcoming environment for the children and families we serve every day. We’re proud to call the Smilezone Foundation a true Friend of the Centre.
Windsor Spitfires Foundation
We are deeply grateful for the long-time support of the Windsor Spitfires Foundation and were honoured to present them with the Friends of the Centre Award at our June 2017 Annual General Meeting. Their generosity has allowed our kids and families to enjoy unforgettable game-day experiences, and their partnership with the Smilezone Foundation helped transform JMCC into a brighter, more welcoming space. As a proud Legacy Project of the 2017 MasterCard Memorial Cup, our Centre now features vibrant colours, stunning murals, and signed jerseys from the champion Windsor Spitfires—touches that will bring joy to families for years to come.
Dr. Joseph Zakaria: Dr. Joseph Zakaria has been a valued member of our transition team since 2011, generously donating his time to provide monthly clinics for youth and helping families connect with adult services for their children. His expertise and referral process ease the transition from paediatric to adult care, reducing stress and ensuring medical needs are met without uncertainty. With his calm demeanour and deep commitment, Dr. Zakaria has made a lasting difference for our families and the work we do at the John McGivney Children’s Centre.
Ron Gudel, Magician Extraordinaire: Ron has been bringing joy and wonder to our children and staff for years through his extraordinary gift of magic, performing at events such as our Super Hero Fun Day and teen group gatherings. He shares his talent with children not only at JMCC but also in communities across Windsor-Essex, London, Sudbury, and Detroit, and regularly visits the pediatric floor at Windsor Regional Hospital on his days off. His performances provide more than entertainment—they inspire laughter that helps children cope and heal more quickly.
Elaine and Harvey Snaden, H & E Comfort Controls: Harvey and Elaine Snaden, owners of H & E Comfort Controls, began supporting JMCC in 2008 during the renovation and expansion of our current building. They provided flexible work arrangements for an employee whose child received services at the Centre, allowed time for him to share his expertise on our building, and supported Centre programs in various ways. Through their company, they continue to offer advice on our building’s operation and support many community organizations, including The Hospice of Windsor & Essex County, Autism Ontario, Maryvale, Windsor Regional Hospital, Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, Rotary Club of Windsor Roseland, and the University of Windsor.
The Honourable Mr. Justice George W. King: Following years of service as a labour lawyer in our community, George King was recently appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. He has provided guidance and support to many local organizations, including serving as Chair of the John McGivney Children’s Centre Capital Campaign alongside Honorary Co-Chairs Mr. Mike Soltz and the late Mr. John McGivney. As a friend of the Centre, George continues to advocate for our work and for the children and families we serve.
Jean and Dave Charley: Jean and Dave Charley have been dedicated to the John McGivney Children’s Centre for many years, with Jean serving in numerous roles—from preschool teacher and director to board member, grandparent, and program volunteer—and Dave offering his steadfast support, most notably as our beloved “forever Santa” at Christmas celebrations. Since retiring 11 years ago, Jean has shared her passion for music through a “Music and Movement” program that fosters children’s musical skills, cooperation, and joy, while Dave has brought magic to countless holiday events with his with his gentle, warm approach.
Windsor Sertoma Club and Motor City Sertoma Club: The Sertoma Club learned about the high cost of communication equipment for some families and generously chose our Augmentative Communication Clinic as the recipient of an annual donation. To date, the Windsor and Motor City Sertoma Clubs have contributed over $34,000 to the Centre. These funds have supported the purchase of speech-generating devices, iDevices for assessments and therapy, continuing education for staff, and resources for community partners.
Susan St. Louis: Mr. St. Louis, Dillon Consulting and Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the John McGivney Children’s Centre, accepted the 2012 the award in recognition of her outstanding support. A Board member since 2005, she served on both the Finance and Building Committees, where her engineering and construction expertise was invaluable during our capital project.
John Cowling: Mr. Cowling, Project Lead at Lowe’s Windsor. Through Lowe’s annual Heroes Program, which donates materials, labour, and time to one community project each year, John and his team collaborated with our educators, therapists, and facility experts to design and build a unique sandbox tailored to the needs of our children. Their thoughtful work created a beautiful, lasting space that supports play, development, and interaction for every child at the Centre.
Odette School of Business, University of Windsor: Dr. Allan Conway accepted the award on behalf of Professor Jim Marsh and the students of the Odette School of Business, who have supported the Centre with key business projects since 2006. Their most recent and ongoing work focuses on developing new outcome-based models of service delivery, demonstrating exceptional knowledge, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to positively impacting the lives of the children and families we serve.
John Zangari: Mr. Zangari, Partner at Dillon Consulting Limited, was awarded for his invaluable contributions to our Ad-hoc Building Committee during the construction and renovation of our new facility. With his extensive engineering expertise and years in the consulting industry, Mr. Zangari was a key asset in navigating complex dealings with the contractor and architectural consultant. We are sincerely grateful for the time and expertise he dedicated to our capital project.
Dr. Gary Cooper: Dr. Cooper has served as a dedicated orthodontic consultant with the Maxillofacial-Speech Clinic for 23 years. He has provided expert assessments and treatment recommendations for individuals with cleft lip and palate, craniofacial syndromes, and severe dental conditions during monthly interdisciplinary clinics. A strong advocate for families, he has helped them understand complex treatment plans and access funding for care.
DeAngelis Construction Inc.: Mr. Max DeAngelis accepted the award on behalf of DeAngelis Construction Inc. and his crew, who went above and beyond to provide the Centre with a beautiful, efficient building for our children, families, and staff. Their leadership team took a personal and vested interest in the Centre and the important work we do.
George Wiebe: Mr. Wieber assisted the Centre in providing transportation and translation services to many families who would otherwise not be able to attend appointments.
Windsor Quilters’ Guild: The Quilters’ Guild generously donated hundreds of beautiful quilts to the children of the John McGivney Children’s Centre. Each quilt is lovingly handcrafted, reflecting the time, care, and skill of the Guild’s members. We are deeply grateful for their dedication, as these quilts are used and cherished by our children every day.
Harrow Fair (Pie Auction): Since 2002, the Colchester South & Harrow Agricultural Society’s Pie Auction donated its proceeds to the Centre, raising over $53,000 to date, including more than $11,000 last year alone. We are deeply grateful to the volunteers, pie bakers, and supporters who make this annual event such a success. Their generosity helps us provide vital programs that enhance the lives of children with disabilities in our community.
Rogery Bryan: Mr. Bryan first became involved with the Centre in 2005 during KPMG’s Annual Volunteer Day, alongside colleagues Ms. Cynthia Swift and Ms. Kim Zimmerman. Following that day, he offered his ongoing support, and the Board and staff benefited from his expertise every year since.
The Rotary Club of Windsor (1918): Mr. Lex McCrindel accepted the Friends of the Centre Award on behalf of the Rotary Club of Windsor (1918), recognizing their more than 40 years of dedicated support. From helping establish the original Centre in the 1960s to their $1 million pledge toward our $6 million capital campaign, the Rotary Club has played a vital role in ensuring children with disabilities receive the care they need.
Essential Services Hockey League/Windsor Spitfires: Dr. Roy Diklich accepted the award on behalf of the Essential Services Hockey League, and Mr. Rob Gagnon accepted on behalf of the Windsor Spitfires. Both organizations supported JMCC in 2005 by organizing a 3-on-3 Hockey Tournament, raising over $18,000 for our programs and services.
Dillon Consulting Ltd: Mr. Karl Tanner and Ms. Susan St. Louis accepted the Friends of the Centre award on behalf of Dillon Consulting. Dillon Consulting was honoured for the contributions of Susan and Karl who provided countless hours of support and assistance in support of our capital project.
Veronica Friesen: Ms. Veronica Friesen, a Civil Technologist with the Windsor Utility Commission and a valued member of the Building Committee, was presented the award for her expertise, time and assistance with our capital project.
RBC Dominion Securities: Ms. Robyn Molyneau accepted the award on behalf of RBC Dominion Securities for their donation of $23,500 to the John McGivney Children’s Centre from their golf tournament.
Windsor Club: Mr. Gerry Angus, Club President, accepted the award for their donation of $5,000 from their recent fundraising fashion show and dinner. We value the support of the Windsor Club and the efforts of staff and all the volunteers who worked so hard to make the fashion show such a success.
Valiant Tool: Mr. Mike Moore accepted the award on behalf of Valiant Tool and the Solcz family for their generous donation of $204,000 to the John McGivney Children’s Centre from their recent golf tournaments.
St. Clair College: Dr. John Strasser, President, and Mr. Fred Sorrell, Foundation Executive Director, accepted the award on behalf of St. Clair College for their longstanding collaboration with JMCC through co-operative education and training placements. This year, JMCC was honoured as the recipient of their 3rd annual invitational golf tournament. A generous donation of $7,000 was presented to the Centre as a result.
Leo DeLuca and Koolini Italian Eatery: received the Friends of the Centre Award in recognition of his generous in-kind donations of appetizers for our Annual General Meeting and other events throughout the year. His support helps offset event costs, allowing us to direct more resources toward services for children with special needs.
McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada: Ms. Nancy Pizzo and Ms. Julie Dennis accepted the Friends of the Centre Award on behalf of McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada. Proceeds from McHappy Day on May 18, 2005, totaled over $14,000 in support of JMCC, and a grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities helped fund accessibility projects under the Ontario Disabilities Act.