• Awarded on: November 28, 2006

Mary Hilda Stapleton, St. John's, Newfoundland
Governor General's Caring Canadian Award

An ordinary citizen who has accomplished extraordinary things, Hilda Stapleton has, for over 25 years, served as a volunteer with the parish of The Basilica-Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. She has helped to launch the parish care centre, supplying food and clothing to distressed families in St. John's, and has prepared over 200 hampers a year for less fortunate members of the congregation. In 1992, she began to work as a purchaser for Emmaus House, the largest food bank in Newfoundland, and has also devoted considerable time to sorting and storing food donations, helping to feed over 12,000 people each year. As current president of the Blessed Virgin Mary Society, she continues to provide much-needed support to seniors in the community.