Delhi & District Chamber of Commerce presented Brenden Hare of La Salette with his 2023 Junior Citizen of the Year Award Wednesday night at a gala awards ceremony at the Delhi German Home.
“I’m in shock, honestly,” Hare laughed, recalling his reaction to the award notification.
“I remember thinking it was really cool just to be nominated. I was in total shock.”
A math tutor at Holy Trinity Catholic High School, Hare, 17, has also volunteered as an assistant goalie coach in Delhi, and attends with the La Salette Bazaar and La Salette Turkey Dinner. He has also refereed exhibition soccer games.
“I think what I enjoy most, volunteering, is seeing how happy people are with my help to them, and seeing the joy I can bring to people.”
Growing up on a farm in Norfolk County, volunteering came naturally to Hare.
“I think in a smaller community it’s much easier (to volunteer) because I get to know everybody in the community. It’s not like they are strangers, I already know everybody that I’m helping.”
It also helps that he is a ‘very outgoing person.’
“I do a lot of sports and extra-curriculars, so I know a lot of people… so a school like Holy Trinity feels like a small community to me where I know, again, everybody in the community. It also makes it easier to tutor and help people because I know so many people at the school – and I get to know even more people.”
The Grade 12 Holy Trinity student currently tutors up to four times a week in Grade 12 Calculus and Physics, and Grade 10 Mathematics. Each tutoring session is about 45 minutes.
“When I’m tutoring someone in math, something they didn’t understand previously, I can see on their face when it helps them and they understand it now, they get the concept. I always love seeing that.”
Hare does his minor hockey coaching at goalie clinics, assisting his father by shooting pucks at goalies, and working with the younger age groups.
“It allows my dad to work with the goalies on their movements, and instead of him going back and forth shooting, I just shoot it where he tells me to. I really enjoy seeing the skills improving for all the younger kids that I help out.”
After graduation in June, Hare plans to attend University of Guelph studying computer science.