Martin Fudge of Shelburne is an athlete, friend, mentor, leader and beloved citizen. He works at Sobeys, where he has been a valuable employee for the past 32 years. The entire town sees Martin on the job going above and beyond; at parcel pick-up, on a ladder cleaning windows, helping customers get their groceries to their car. His compassion for people and work ethic has earned him the respect and admiration of his managers, coworkers and the community at large.
Prior to high school graduation, Martin joined Shelburne County Special Olympics where he excelled as an athlete, a team leader in sport and fundraising. He is a prodigious advocate and mentor for all persons with intellectual disabilities. In 1997 Martin gave the closing speech at the Special Olympics World Games in Toronto, thanking the volunteers and reminding the athletes that they are ALL winners. Martin also demonstrates leadership as a dedicated board member with the Shelburne Lion's Club where he has been an active member for 28 years. He participates weekly as the head bingo-caller and is hands-on involved at the majority of their community events. Martin is most proud of organizing and leading the local Annual Walk for Guide Dogs for The Lion's Foundation of Canada. His efforts earned him the prestigious Melvin Jones Fellowship Award for raising funds and contributing to humanity.
Other personal accomplishments are testimony to his community service: fundraising efforts for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, The Big Bike Ride for Heart and Stroke and supporting the local Fire Department, especially during the Shelburne Co. wildfires in 2023.
At 49 years old, Martin is still going strong. He recently competed on Team Nova Scotia's floor hockey team at the 2024 National Winter Games in Calgary. They brought home the gold medal to Nova Scotia!
Anne Camozzi of Antigonish is an artist, writer, and activist for sustainability, justice and climate action. Over the last 20 years her advocacy has focused on disability, accessibility, elder care, accessible housing, poverty, equity, and truth and reconciliation. Anne’s advocacy is enriched by her lived experiences of disability, illness and pain, her training in the fine arts, and her work as an artist, educator, consultant, and podcast, television and radio reporter and former university administrator.
Anne has played a significant role in advancing accessibility in Nova Scotia. In 2021-2022 she served as a member of the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library Accessibility Committee, and in 2022 as an expert advisor on the independent review of Nova Scotia’s Accessibility Act. In 2017 she contributed a presentation to the Nova Scotia Legislature on Bill 59 in support of the Principles to Redraft Bill 59, emphasizing accessibility barriers as blatant discrimination.
Anne has mobilized her expertise as an environmental education consultant, decades of community work in ecological justice, and experiences during Hurricane Fiona to advocate for a vulnerable persons registry in Nova Scotia. In 2022-2023, Anne launched a media campaign from her home in Antigonish, raising provincial and national awareness of the invisibility and neglect of disabled persons in emergency situations. She shared her concerns with the Standing Committee on Law Amendments on Bill 198 Emergency 911/Emergency Management Act. Her advocacy propelled the City of Halifax to create a registry, with other municipalities across the province following suit.
Anne Camozzi of Antigonish is an artist, writer, and activist for sustainability, justice and climate action. Over the last 20 years her advocacy has focused on disability, accessibility, elder care, accessible housing, poverty, equity, and truth and reconciliation. Anne’s advocacy is enriched by her lived experiences of disability, illness and pain, her training in the fine arts, and her work as an artist, educator, consultant, and podcast, television and radio reporter and former university administrator.
Anne is generous, sharing her experiences, knowledge and expertise to raise awareness of accessibility barriers, even as this comes with the pain of reliving discrimination and exclusion. In her advocacy, she is sensitive to the distinct barriers of people who are living in poverty, precariously housed or homeless, institutionalized and/or living with mental health disabilities.
Her contributions as a community advocate to disability and accessibility policy, planning and program delivery in the areas of accessibility and emergency management will improve the lives of all Nova Scotians. Since Fall 2023 she has been a regular contributor on the 'NOW with Dave Brown' show on issues that matter to people with disabilities on Accessible Media Inc.
Anne’s advocacy is anchored in her art, which she shares with libraries and clinics across the province, workshops to engage community members in creative expression, and donates to fundraise for social justice initiatives. As she states on her website, “I create to share awe and joy, and to understand the mysteries of existence. I experience the Divine in Nature and explore unexplained dimensions, while celebrating the interconnectedness of all life. A deep involvement in community enriches my creative work. I am interested in my work as a form of healing for myself, others, and the Earth and hope it inspires engagement in imagination, creativity and social justice, while bringing comfort and hope to those who suffer.”
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