Wayside was honoured to join the City of Waterloo’s State of the City event hosted by Rotary Waterloo. The event raised over $24,000 towards Wayside and an additional $5,000 to Rotary’s Community Grant Fund. The table displays, of canned goods, are being distributed to families and individuals at our Food Bag program!
This year, Eric Oliver was the recipient of the Paul Harris fellowship award. The award honours individuals who exemplify Rotary motto of Service Above Self, whether through direct community service, leadership or advocacy for social causes. Eric is a passionate volunteer and leader who works tirelessly to keep the Bridgeport Café running smoothly. He truly epitomizes the stewardship, dignity, and respect that makes Wayside a special place. His contribution ranges from the highly practical—such as shuttling organic waste to his backyard compost or regular pickups of footwear from local retailers—to the deeply personal, often providing the “end of the day” rides home for our volunteers and guests.
Beyond his physical effort, Eric is a fountain of ideas for our community. He has been instrumental in making civic engagement accessible by bringing Elections Canada into the Café and is always thinking of initiatives to help community members access services that you and I take for granted. This spirit of service is nothing new for Eric; he and his wife, Linda, played a vital role in hosting and supporting Vietnamese families immigrating to Canada in the 1980s.
