• Awarded on: November 13, 2001

Lauren Small, Ottawa, Ont.
Governor General's Caring Canadian Award

Lauren Small has been a role model and ambassador for many causes in her community. Following the loss of her mother to cancer in 1994, she established a support group for university students called the Concordia Cancer Awareness Resource Education for Students. With Child & Youth Friendly Ottawa, she launched a program with the Ottawa 67s hockey club, The Ottawa Citizen newspaper and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, which enables ill or underprivileged children to attend a hockey game in a corporate box called the Rainbow Room. Ms. Small hosts the guests as the Rainbow Crusader, a super hero that believes in dreams and wishes. She also finds time to act as a Board member for her local chapter of Big Sisters and plays a role in many campaigns for cancer, the environment and youth-related causes.