(PETERBOROUGH, ON) – 
Five Counties Children’s Centre was pleased to hosts its 49th Annual Meeting on June 24, 2025, where its activities and achievements over the past year were shared and celebrated .
Activities from the 2024-25 year are documented in the Centre’s newly-released Annual Report, including statistics that show wait lists for kids’ treatment services continue to drop at Five Counties , even as the number of clients served and referrals for services continue to rise.
Keynote Speaker
Five Counties welcomed as its keynote speaker, Noella Klawitter, a gold-medal-winning Paralympian and director at KidsInclusive Centre for Child and Youth Development. Using her own life experiences and describing her journey dealing with gradual vision loss, Noella speaks about the importance of resilience for individuals and organizations.
“Resiliency isn’t something you that you are born with or born without,” Noella shares. “Resiliency is something that can be grown, built, something that can be forged. It’s by finding those small intentional strategies, those little things, that are going to help move you forward.”
Watch Noella’s full remarks
CEO Update
Five Counties CEO Scott Pepin delivers his remarks on the past year, in what he calls “a banner year’ for Five Counties on several different fronts.
Watch the full video clip
Dave Adams Legacy Award
A new award unveiled by Five Counties Children’s Centre is honouring a well-known former staff member, while also celebrating those individuals who carry on his legacy.
The new Dave Adams Legacy Award was unveiled at the Centre’s Annual Meeting held on June 24 as part of Five Counties’ 50th anniversary celebrations. This new award is named after Dave Adams, who served as the executive director of the Centre’s former Foundation for 27 years and demonstrated selfless dedication to promote and support Five Counties over the years. Dave’s untimely death in 2021 came only a short time after he retired from Five Counties. According to the award’s criteria, “it recognizes individuals who embody the spirit, leadership and commitment of Dave, ensuring that his legacy of service and advocacy lives on.”
“For many years, Dave Adams was the face of Five Counties Children’s Centre – and for some people, he still is,” says Scott Pepin, CEO of Five Counties. “Dave worked tirelessly over his career to promote the work of Five Counties and raise funds to reduce wait times for important children’s treatment services. We’re honoured to create the Dave Adams Legacy Award in 2025 to remember Dave’s contributions, and celebrate those individuals who embody his spirit, leadership and commitment.”
The first-ever winner of this new award was our former (and now retired) long-time program manager Alex Cranfield. Alex is very deserving of the first-ever Dave Adams Legacy Award, as she truly epitomizes the spirit that Dave Adams exhibited in his time at Five Counties. Like Dave, Alex’s long career in the children’s treatment sector demonstrates integrity, compassion and leadership to enhance services and forge partnerships that improve support for children and youth. Families are better off because of Alex’s dedication, as is Five Counties.”
Members of Dave’s family – including wife Alana, daughter Amanda, parents Jack and Beverly, and sister Cindy – joined Five Counties in announcing the new award at the Annual Meeting.
High-Five Community Recognition Awards
Five Counties Children’s Centre is pleased to announce the 2025 winners of its High-Five Community Recognition Awards. Now in their sixth year, the High-Five Community Recognition Awards are given to individuals and community organizations that share Five Counties’ commitment to inclusion, education and respect for all children and youth. Full details about each award recipient are included here.
Award recipients included:
- Dr. Mark Mason
- Bob Prole
- Martha Harp-McMurray
- The Giving Tree Northumberland
- Meaghan Walker
- Tanya Pye
- Brad Torrens
- Allison Wood
- Peterborough Youth Basketball Association
- Shannon Daciuk and Janet DesRochers, MCCSS
- Rose McHugh
- Mary Lou Lefler
- Lynda Nydham
Board of Directors
Five Counties welcomed new volunteer members to its Board of Directors and Community Committee. It also said a fond farewell to retiring Board members — Chair Julie Davis and Vice-Chair Galen Eagle.
Category: General News