Justin McGarragh

2017 Leadership Award - Nova Scotia/Halifax

Program Leader

The Club Inclusion

Nominator Comments:

Justin runs our Theatre Club for young people and adults with different abilities (disabilities) and challenges. He puts his heart and soul into this every year, developing it from scratch. He is employed on a casual, part-time basis, but the dedication he puts into this project is over and above that of any full-time worker.

Last year, he supported our members to create a play that would be performed at The Arts Centre. He worked extra hours to write scripts, find ways to record the actors’ voices, help them act, develop physical theatre skills, show their strengths and shine with pride. He ensured that every member could fully participate, no matter what their ability. Thanks to him, the team created a work that was funny, moving, bold and inspired.

A week before the performance, Justin found out that his mother was gravely ill. Sadly, she passed away three days before our big show. We fully expected that he would travel to the U.S. to be with his family. However, he could not let the members down. He knew that the actors would feel nervous without his guidance, and so he stayed, despite suffering the most serious bereavement. His dedication truly goes above and beyond.

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