LiveWorkPlay Celebrates National Volunteer Week 2026 – Daniel Spagnolo: United Way East Ontario Community Builder Award

This award was presented live at Make A Buzz Ottawa 2026, the LiveWorkPlay 31st Anniversary Celebration at Bayview Yards. It was a suprise! The text below is not an official transcript, it was produced from speech-to-text of the live video recording.

I do, in fact, have some breaking news that will be sure to surprise some of you. My name is Dylan Black. I’m a radio announcer serving Rockland and Hawkesbury, and I’m also the Fundraising Coordinator at Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club.

I’m also a member of the United Way East Ontario’s Volunteer Recognition Team, and I’ve been asked to present a Community Builder Award to a very deserving—and unsuspecting—attendee here today.

United Way breaks down barriers, improves lives, and brings opportunities for tens of thousands of people across Prescott-Russell, Ottawa, Lanark County, and Renfrew County. It is a unifying force that brings people, organizations, and resources together to understand and tackle tough social issues like poverty, eviction, youth homelessness, and more.

As a matter of fact, United Way connects LiveWorkPlay with employers as part of the Employment Accessibility Resource Network to create equitable job opportunities here in Ottawa.

Now, you may be asking yourself: what is a Community Builder Award?

Well, it’s an award that celebrates people across our region who consistently go the extra mile to ensure the most vulnerable people in our communities get the help they need. Throughout the year, members of the public nominate outstanding community leaders, and together with United Way, we get a chance to surprise them during events like these.

I’m about to say a name.

So with that, it’s my—and United Way East Ontario’s—absolute pleasure to announce the name of…

Daniel Spagnolo!

(audience cheering and applauding)

Daniel is an exceptionally committed force in our inclusive employment movement, volunteering his time, expertise, and leadership to ensure that people with disabilities have real opportunities to work, belong, and thrive in our communities.

Danny volunteers with LiveWorkPlay—the reason we are all here today—helping to build a more welcoming and inclusive Ottawa.

Danny’s journey with LiveWorkPlay began as a founding member of its Employment Task Force, where he helped establish the Federal Employment Strategy Group. This initiative brings together managers within various governmental departments, human resource professionals, and community partners to expand inclusive employment practices across the federal public service.

His work has directly contributed to the hiring of 230 people with disabilities into public service positions, a milestone recently highlighted in testimony before the Senate Committee on Human Rights.

Now, beyond his systems-level work, Danny has brought the same dedication to LiveWorkPlay’s governance, serving on the board of directors for a decade, including multiple years as board chair.

Danny’s colleagues describe him as a thoughtful, collaborative leader—someone who listens carefully, asks the right questions, and keeps the organization’s mission at the heart of every decision.

Danny’s volunteer leadership has helped open doors that too many people have found closed for far too long.

The United Way thanks Danny for his unwavering commitment to a more inclusive Ottawa, and for the lasting impact this work will continue to have on generations of people who want the chance to contribute and belong.

Everybody together—congratulations, Danny!

(applause)

Dan, I’m happy to share that your name will be added to the United Way’s permanent display in Ottawa City Hall, which is a tremendous honour. Your name will be added to the display forever, alongside other incredible volunteers, community builders, and local heroes.

Once again, congratulations, Danny.