The Community Service Award is dedicated to Toronto Constable Laura Ellis who lost her life while on police duty in Toronto.
The Community Service award is presented to the person who has designed programs and implemented initiatives specific to the needs of individuals and groups in her community. She sees an opportunity to help her community and goes for it; she is available whenever her community needs her. The award is sponsored by the Toronto Police Association.
York Regional Police Service - Staff Sergeant Heidi Schellhorn's 18-year career has taken her to traffic, child abuse and criminal investigations and the hate crime unit. She is currently a Staff Sergeant at an urban detachment.
Heidi's love of sports in combination with devotion to her community makes her deserving of this award.
She has volunteered and fund-raised for many years for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics and the Childrens' Safety Village.
In 2001, when a local woman lost three children and her husband in a house fire, Heidi approached a school and within a few days they'd fundraised over $30,000 to help the uninsured woman.
Heidi had her head shaved for Cops for Cancer, participated in numerous 10 kilometre and half marathon runs for charities like the Make a Wish foundation, Heart and Stroke foundation and the Cops and Kids sports challenge. She has volunteered for the Toys for Tots toy drive for needy families in her region and raised funds for a local shelter for women fleeing abusive relationships.
Within her role as a Hate Crimes Officer she worked closely with local minority communities garnering confidence for the police in communities where police were not always looked on with respect.
As an avid runner, Heidi spends much time in the trail system around her home. She was spurred to action by the amount of litter she encountered on her runs and contacted the local mayor suggesting a community clean-up program. Local business groups were brought on line and hundreds of volunteers participated in what has become a yearly community beautification event.
Within the York Police Service, Heidi has been raising awareness and actively recruiting members to support the organ donation program. She is part of the public relations campaign that will reach out to the Greater Toronto area in support of this worthwhile cause.
This year Heidi joined the Ironcops for Cancer team and will compete in the 2006 Ironman triathlon along with other police officers and civilians to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society.
She recently completed her seventh Ironman World Championship triathalon in Hawaii.
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