A Memorial for Dan McDermott
On Saturday May 27th, over 100 of Dan’s friends, family, and colleagues came together to pay tribute to him and the wonderful work that he’s done throughout his lifetime in fighting for environmental justice, not only here in Ontario but also all over Canada. The mark he’s made in people’s lives was evident at the memorial (that was co-hosted by our very own Christine Elwell, Chair of Sierra Club Ontario, and Joyce McClean) — where heartfelt speeches were made by Councillor Gord Perks, Bobbi Hunter, and SCCF’s former Executive Director John Bennett; close friends and colleagues shared their fondest memories of Dan at the open mic; and tears were shed by those who miss him dearly.Despite feelings of sorrow still lingering from his passing, there was a sense of hopefulness and a general spread of positive energy throughout the room, as people focused on celebrating his accomplishments, his positive influence, his kindness, and his undeniable sense of humour. Dan was also posthumously granted the Freshwater Future Heroes Award. We are hopeful that his work will be carried on by others at Sierra Club and beyond.The organizing committee would like to thank all those who came out to attend the memorial, and those who sent their statements. For those who couldn’t make it, you can take a look at the memorial’s programming, attached below. We are planning a tree planting in the upcoming months at Toronto Islands – all are welcome! Please sign up for our Ozone newsletter to receive further updates about this event.If you would like to make a contribution to Sierra Club Canada Foundation – Ontario Chapter to continue the legacy of Dan’s work at the Chapter, please visit Dan’s donation tribute page here.For any questions or comments, please contact us at: ontariochapter [at] sierraclub.ca.