The Cecil Hart Award

Cecil Hart was a teacher by profession and became involved with children with Cerebral Palsy in the Saint John, New Brunswick area. Shortly after his involvement started, a small school was opened under the sponsorship of the local Main Brace group. When these children became adults and left the school, there was no work or other training facility available. Being a member of the local Kiwanis Club, Mr. Hart presented his fellow members with the needs of these adults. With their help, a workshop was opened at an old cotton mill in the city centre.

These facilities were not suitable so Mr. Hart, along with the Kiwanis Club fund-raising committee, raised sufficient funds to have a centre built. It was named the Kiwanis Vocational Training Centre. It is still in operation today and is now known as Key Industries.

Mr. Hart died suddenly of a heart attack in 1973. Neither he nor anyone in his family had Cerebral Palsy. His interest in persons with Cerebral Palsy stemmed from his desire to make life more purposeful and to provide quality education facilities for children and, later on, employment for adults.

The Cerebral Palsy Foundation (Saint John) Inc. decided to commemorate Mr. Hart by presenting the Cecil Hart Award to an individual who has spent a great deal of time teaching, or acting in a capacity of caregiver, for person or persons with Cerebral Palsy. The Atlantic Cerebral Palsy Association endorsed the idea and an award is presented each year, at the annual Atlantic Cerebral Palsy Association Conference.

2009 Recipient  Past Winners