Sokoloski award winners didn't expect to receive the honour

Wayne and Sandra Cassidy very nearly weren’t on hand to hear their names called when the Howard Sokolowski Award recipients were announced at the 2010 Mayors’ Charity Golf Tournament this fall.

Completely unaware of the possibility of receiving the award, and having completed their round of golf, Sandra says they were considering leaving early. But something made them stay.

As a result, it came as a pleasant surprise to the couple when their names were called, but more so for Sandra, she says.

“I had absolutely no idea. I was so shocked when they said my name,” she explains. “I was surprised for me, but not for Wayne. I thought it would just be my husband.”

Wayne agrees it was unexpected and explained why it’s a special honour to have their names on the Howard Sokolowski Award.

“Sandy and I were taken quite by surprise when we were announced as the 2010 recipients,” Wayne says. “We are honoured to be included in the same company as the previous recipients.”

The couple were presented with a unique work of art created by Edward Falkenberg, a local Durham artist who creates a new piece each year for the award recipient.

The Cassidys are very involved with the RVHS Foundation and the hospital, giving their time to committees and helping make events successful.

Wayne is President of Cassidy and Co., an architectural technology firm in Ajax. His firm holds an annual golf tournament to raise funds for charity and this year they made a donation of $25,000 to the Foundation. The funds will support the Image is Everything campaign, to bring an MRI machine to the Ajax hospital. And Sandra explains the tournament is committed to making another $25,000 donation next year as well.

“We both have been involved with our community since we first moved to Pickering in 1975, and to Ajax in 1985, as volunteers and fundraisers,” explains Wayne. “It started with getting involved with our four children's schools and sports.

“Whether as coaches, sponsors or on an executive committee, we have actively been involved,” he continues. “We have done it for so long now it has just become a part of what we do and who we are as part of our community.”

They both consider the hospital to be a worthy cause to donate their time and effort.

“Our support of the hospital is a no brainer, as it is in our own backyard and provides so much for all of us,” Wayne says. “It gives us both great satisfaction to be able contribute to providing state of the art equipment and service at our Hospital. We encourage anyone and everyone to help out in any way they can.”

Sandra adds that as a mother of four boys, there have been many trips to the hospital for emergencies like stitches for injuries and the like.
“I don’t do it for recognition,” she says. “I just have the time and I want to give back to the community.”