Twelve-year-old Makayla Pereira has been selected from among 130 nominees to be one of 12 recipients of the 2009 Ontario Junior Citizen Award.

In announcing her selection, the Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA) said Makayla “may be petite, but she has a big heart.

“She learned of a threeyear old boy who had died from cancer and was so moved she has organized Aiden’s Walk for the past three years. It’s a 5 km walk through Brampton to honour him and raise awareness; and has brought in $15,000 to date.

“This year, her younger brother was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, and Makayla took herself to task again. While her parents started ‘Jack’s Fight for a Cure’, she spent time handcrafting bracelets which she sold on her website and on Facebook to raise money for research. So far Makayla has sold $3,000 worth of bracelets.”

“Ontario’s Community Newspapers are very pleased to showcase the contributions of these young people who are so deserving of recognition,” said OCNA President Abbas Homayed. “We would also like to express our appreciation to all the nominators who took the time to share the stories with us.”

The Awards Ceremony will be officiated by Lieutenant Governor David C. Onley, at Queen’s Park on March 29, when the recipients and their immediate families will be invited to the special presentation.

The Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Awards are run through the 311 member newspapers of OCNA with the support of corporate sponsors TD Canada Trust and Direct Energy.

Nominations of eligible youth, aged 6 to 17, are received each fall through member community newspapers committed to recognizing outstanding youth who are making a difference in their communities.