The Town of Lincoln held its final of five events to celebrate 50 citizens who have made notable contributions to the community on Tuesday. They are now all honored on a wall of portraits at the Fleming Centre.
Altogether, the town hosted five invite-only receptions to recognize the honourees on the 50 Faces of Lincoln wall, which was inspired by Lincoln’s 50th anniversary. Recipients were selected by Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton and members of council to represent all four of the town’s wards.
The mini-celebrations were designed to adhere to COVID-19 public health protocols and provincials gathering restrictions. Events began on Oct. 27 and ran every Tuesday night for five consecutive weeks. Each event was organized by Ward so councillors and recipients from specific regions of the town could gather together. Mayor Easton, town representatives and the media also attended each event.
Due to the pandemic, the town held five smaller celebrations instead of one big one. The upside was the new format allowed each candidate to have their moment in the spotlight.
Though the affairs have ended, the 50 Faces of Lincoln installation remains on a wall along the walking track of the Fleming Centre. Anyone can visit the wall to experience it in person. Visitors can read each person’s bio and learn about the contribution they’ve made to the community.
The collection celebrates residents from all groups that define Lincoln’s culture. It features kids and seniors, local business owners, volunteers, and leaders in art, culture, agriculture, and education.
Isabel Culp’s glasses program
It features kids like Isabel Culp, who collected old glasses and frames and donated them to local Lion’s Club for its vision program. She shows how one person can make a significant difference by way of taking small actions that add up. Culp also demonstrates that anyone, regardless of their age, can make a difference in their community.
Mennonite historian Jennifer Haines
Then there’s Jennifer Haines, a member of Fry Family that brings her family legacy of the early Pennsylvania Mennonites who migrated to the Twenty Mile Creek to this project. The local genealogist and historian is also honoured on the wall.
Matt Giffen’s passion for beer
Business owners like Matt Giffen, the founder of Bench Brewing Company, are also featured. After a career as a Global Executive for ScotiaBank, he followed his passion for craft brewing and opened Bench in June 2018. Bench beers have garnered worldwide attention, gaining accolades at the Ontario, Canadian, and World Beer Awards events.
Paul Moyer’s disinfectant innovation
Another recipient is Paul Moyer, a long-time fruit farmer. His family has farmed in the area since 1799. Moyer appeared on Dragon’s Den in 2008. He also received the 2017 Premier Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. He was involved in developing a technology that was retooled in 2020 to clean and disinfect N95 masks during COVID-19.
Roy Caja’s passion for scouting
Roy Caja is a deeply devoted volunteer involved at all levels of Scouting for 1st Beamsville. His main focus is on the outdoor aspects of youth activities like canoe events, survival skills, night hikes, and geo-caching.
The biographies of these honourees and the rest of the 50 recipients have been posted online too. To read a description of each person’s contribution, visit the online version of the honourees at 50 Faces of Lincoln. Or, drop by the Fleming Centre at 5020 Serena Dr, in Beamsville, to take in the new historic town wall.