Another accolade for Owen Sound businessman and prolific Habitat for Humanity volunteer Neil Kemp.
Just weeks after being named the 2008 Habitat for Humanity Volunteer of the year, he and Habitat’s National President accepted a special award for urban renewal from the Canadian Urban Institute.
Kemp was in Toronto Wednesday to accept the City Renewal Award which recognizes Habitat for its efforts in raising awareness of the critical issue of affordable housing.
He says its vital that the downtown areas of Canada’s cities and towns be renewed and revitalized and the construction of affordable family housing is one way to do that.
Kemp says that was the one of the objectives of last year’s 6-home build in Owen Sound that resulted in more families living close to the downtown area.
He says next summer Habitat will be constructing two semi-detached affordable homes in Wiarton.
As for his being named Volunteer of the year, Kemp says that was a totally unexpected honour for doing something that he loves.
One of the reasons he was given that award is because of his extensive work in the third world constructing affordable housing.
Kemp says he will be leading another team to Cambodia this fall for a two week building blitz and yet another team to Vietnam next February.
