Young Girl, Child Advocacy Group Are Local Recipients of Provincial Recognition

Two Attorney General's Victim Services Awards of Distinction Awarded Locally

A young Barrie woman and a local advocacy centre are among those honoured by the province today for their efforts with Victims Services. 12-year-old Ellie Stones turned a personal traumatic experience into a educational one, after joining up with the Barrie Police Services to help visit local schools. Ellie not only speaks to students, sometimes older than her, about safety, she also stars in her own local TV show called Ellie’s Safety Tips. This morning, she received the Attorney Genera’s Victim Services Award of Distinction thanks to her willingness to share her experiences and help other children learn from her example. The Child Advocacy Centre of Simcoe/Muskoka was also recipient of this award, as the province says staff there go above and beyond to tackle issues of child abuse and human trafficking in the community. It was also recognized for being the only child advocacy centre in Ontario to provide abuse prevention programs, and over 15,000 kids have taken part. Barrie MPP Ann Hoggarth says “Today’s announcement recognizes the amazing organizations and individuals living in Barrie and Simcoe County, and are two examples of the great and supportive work being done to improve the lives of so many in our community.”