聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Cameron Lozinski, a former Canora resident, has received recognition for his wide-ranging volunteer work by being included in the Ace Burpee鈥檚 Top 100 Most Fascinating Manitobans of 2017.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lozinski, a first-year student at the University of Winnipeg, said the announcement was made on December 18.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He spent several years living in Canora when he was attending elementary school. After overcoming some significant health issues a number of years ago, he has devoted much of his spare time to volunteering in support of a variety of worthy causes.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 enjoy helping people who are less fortunate. It really gives me a sense of pride to be able to give back to the community,鈥� said Lozinski.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Over the recent New Year鈥檚 holiday long weekend, he gave up part of his holiday from university classes to volunteer for Operation Red Nose in his hometown of Gimli, where he drove people home who had been drinking.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lozinski said his previous volunteer projects including knitting 56 toques for the homeless when he was in Grade 8. He raised his own funds and took part in international Habitat for Humanity build trips to El Salvador in 2014, Indonesia in 2016 and Portugal in 2015 and again in 2017. Later this year he is planning to take part in a Habitat build in Halifax, N.S.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As part of his Metis heritage, Lozinski has a passion for Indigenous issues, history and culture. After studying the Truth and Reconciliation Commission鈥檚 report, he planned his high school鈥檚 Red Dress Project, in conjunction with the national campaign to raise awareness and honour missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada. Lozinski is learning the Cree language, and taught several lessons of basic Cree to a group of middle school students last spring.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In Grade 9 he was the only male student on the International Day of the Girl Committee.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The 鈥渉ard-working teenager鈥� is pursuing Indigenous studies at the University of Winnipeg, with an eye toward a possible future career in politics.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He continues to find time to get involved in new volunteer projects. On January 17, Lozinski will begin training with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB).
