Celine Carriere Named Outstanding Co-op Youth

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">GUELPH, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 12, 2011) - Céline Carrière of Russell, Ont. follows in her sister's footsteps as Ontario's outstanding young co-operative leader. She will be honored at the Annual Co-op Conference and Gala on Wed. Oct. 19 at the Burlington, Ont. Royal Botanical Gardens.

Like her sister Sonja Carrière, Céline has been a long-time contributor to Ontario's Co-operative Young Leaders program. She is a member of the education team of Co-operative Housing Association of Eastern Ontario and manager of Coopérative d'habitation Lafontaine through her employment at L. Simpson Management Services Inc.

Her work career has also included Your Credit Union of Nepean, Ont. She graduated from the University of Ottawa last year.

Additionally, she is a director of Rooftops Canada, an organization dedicated to the development of housing co-ops internationally, and housing co-operative Coop Jeanneville. She has spoken about youth contributions at many conferences for housing co-op and credit union leaders.

"Céline's passion for co-ops is in her blood," says Jeff McCallum of North Wellington Co-operative Services Inc. who has served as a youth facilitator with her. He adds that he has met very few people with as much energy for co-ops as Céline.

Ten other leaders are also celebrated at the awards banquet, bringing the total number of honorees to 110 since 1999, the inception of the Co-op Spirit award. The banquet is the culmination of a daylong conference that draws up to 250 co-operative and credit union directors, employees, and supporters from across the province. Its theme is "Gearing Up," and is one of the first events in Canada to launch the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives in 2012. More than a billion people belong to co-operative organizations worldwide.

The Ontario co-operative movement is a vibrant part of the province's economy. Ontario has more than 1300 co-ops, with 1900 locations in 400 communities. Ontario co-operatives employ more than 15,500 people and are supported by a network of 49,000 volunteers.

On Co-op, based in Guelph, Ont., is a resource and common voice for Ontario credit unions and co-operatives, with a mission to lead, cultivate and connect the Ontario co-operative movement. Visit www.ontario.coop to learn more.