She was instrumental in the formation of the Danforth East Community Association when it started around her dining room table seven years ago. She has dressed up as broccoli outside the subway at 7:00 a.m. to promote the East Lynn Farmer’s Market. She hauled barricades up and down the hill at East Lynn Park on market Thursdays, with a baby strapped to her back. She stalked every landlord along Danforth Avenue between Coxwell and Woodbine in order to get spaces for the pop-up shop project. But what is so special about Catherine Porter is that her energy is contagious; and so is her hope and optimism about how much better our community can be if we all put our hearts into it. And it looks like we are not the only ones who think so!
Catherine Porter will receive a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in honour of her excellence in community building. Her fellow DECA Board members could not be more proud of her!
Please join us tomorrow afternoon when Beaches-East York MP Matthew Kellway will present Catherine with this national award of distinction: Saturday, February 23 at 3:00 p.m. at 1803 Danforth Avenue. This is the location of one of DECA’s February pop-up shops, and since Catherine was instrumental in sprucing up the space, it is very fitting to gather there to celebrate her.
(PS: Catherine would want us to also mention that space is available for rent, so commercial tenants, please come and check it out!)
