The Guelph YMCA presented Dylan Paczay of Fergus, with a Peace Medal on Dec. 10, recognizing his involvement with the community. This is the first year there was a youth division for the award.
Paczay has been out of school now for two years, but says he never really left Centre Wellington District High School. He has been helping out in a civics class there since February. He is a volunteer project developer for the course.
The class is currently working together on a project called “Falconnect” that engages students with the community.
But that’s just one of the many things Paczay has on the go. He is a program developer and youth mentor for Bungalow 55, a community centre where youth and adults can collaborate to create safe spaces to share ideas, knowledge, volunteer and have fun in Elora, and what Paczay refers to as “a portal for friendship”.
Over the past several years Paczay has spent his time involving himself in youth mentoring and community involvement projects such as the Progressive Youth Initiative, for which he received a $10,000 grant to operate community- engaging projects for youth; Amnesty International; as a founder of the Living Culture Club at CWDHS; and finding solutions for youth homelessness.
“It’s absolutely necessary to be involved with other people in the community if you’re efforts are to actually make an impact on the world,” said Paczay.
He has been the past co-prime minister of CWDHS; is the youth adviser for the Centre Wellington Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee; a past Sensational Elora committee member; an adventure camp counselor; a Lego robotics competition designer, mentor and judge; and is currently employed as a glass blowing artist.
Recently Paczay gave a TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Talk at the University of Guelph and was invited to speak at the Renison University College, for the Advanced Community Building and Development program.
Paczay is currently working on a fundraising campaign in hopes to raise more funds for the “Progressive Youth Initiative.”
He says their grant money is running out and they don’t want the weekly gathering to stop.
Visit www.bungalow55.org for more information.
