The Terri Hill My Own Home Bursary awarded to Spencer Penny at LiveWorkPlay’s Make A Buzz Ottawa 17 April 2026
Presented live at Make A Buzz Ottawa 2026, LiveWorkPlay’s 31st Anniversary Celebration, April 17, at Bayview Yards
The Terri Hill My Own Home Bursary awarded to Spencer Penny
Presented by Keenan Wellar, Co-Leader and Director of Communications at LiveWorkPlay
The My Own Home bursary started in 2007, following the On My Own Together projects at the Carleton University summer residences. In addition to providing financial assistance, this $200 bursary recognizes an important milestone for individuals who move to a home of their own in the community.
Over the past 19 years, $12,000 in bursaries have gone to 60 recipients. We’re excited to add to that total tonight!
With the agreement and support of the award sponsors, Barry and Marjorie Wellar, the bursary has been renamed in honour of Terri Hill, who left us last year after a long battle with cancer.
That means this year, for the first time, we will give out the bursary under the name “Terri Hill My Own Home Award.”
And also for the first time, I am pleased to announce that the bursary has been increased to $300!
We were so pleased when this year’s recipient was able to join so many other happy tenants in a Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation building, our amazing nonprofit housing partners.
In a fascinating twist of fate, he ended up living one floor below his sibling, and in fact, directly underneath. They’ve always been very close, so being separated by an entire floor is a healthy distance, but also, close enough.
So, are there any big surprises since he moved out in January?
According to Aby Clarke and Chris Floyd from our Community Supports Team, not really – he’s been very chill about the entire experience.
But there is one little gem of interesting news.
Prior to moving out, cooking was not on his list of priorities.
But over the past three months, he’s turned into quite the chef, always wanting to try out new recipes.
Well, with this $300 bursary he can pick up some fancy spices and upgrade his frying pan, so please welcome to the stage, our Terri Hill My Own Home Award recipient, Spencer Penny!