Awarded on: 2002-05-21
Lise Boucher-Arihan, Greenfield Park, Quebec
Governor General's Caring Canadian Award
For the past 21 years, Lise Boucher-Arihan has acted as volunteer coordinator for a charitable group called H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Effectively). Mrs. Boucher-Arihan provides ongoing support to disadvantaged families, advocating on their behalf at public service agencies and sometimes accompanying them in court. She also spends many hours a week delivering food and financial aid to these families. In her spare time, Mrs. Boucher-Arihan takes care of her elderly neighbours, helping them with banking and shopping and providing transportation to doctors' appointments, thus enabling them to maintain their independence and remain in their homes.