It is Saturday, the day I pause, take a deep refereshing breath of the wonder and beauty all around me to celebrate heroes in our midst.

Earlier this year, Linda MacLean, took over as the Executive Director of the Accessible Housing Society in Calgary. Their mandate: to create opportunities for safe, affordable, barrier-free housing for persons with mobility issues. And they are doing just that. Linda is a vision. Her tireless commitment to helping people find housing that meets their specific needs, and to helping people stay housed is changing the world for many people.

Linda and her team at Accessible Housing are heroes.

Her twitter profile says it all — Champion for ending exploitation of women, warrior against homelessness & oppression, relentless optimist & innovator! And it’s true. Marina Giacomin, Executive Director at Servants Anonymous Society is fighting to ensure women involved in the sex trade find a path to dignity, hope and life beyond the streets. She never ceases to inspire me with her dedication and fearlessness. Along with all the staff and volunteers at Servants Anonymous, they have given thousands of women the opportunity to reclaim their lives.

Marina and all the staff, volunteers and supporters of SAS are heroes.

So… this is far off the path of serving people with disabilities and disadvantages, but…  Jesse Willis and his business partner, Jeff Jamieson are serving society in a different way. By bringing the simple joy of wine and spirits to life in their delightful store Vine Arts. This is a dream come true for Jess and Jeff, a store of their own where they can educate and share their love of all things grape off the vine. A visit to their store is a treat of the senses and the mind. Their knowledge and willingness to share is outstanding!

Jeff and Jesse and everyone at Vine Arts are heroes!

Caitria and Morgan O’Neill did not set out to become ‘disaster response experts’ but, when a tornado unexpectedly hit their town in Massacheusetts (which does not get tornadoes) they knew they had to do something. At 20 and 24 year old University students stepped up to take charge, with the aid of technology. Their inspiring TEDxBoston talk will tell you all about their ‘recovery in a box’ planning kit. We can all make a difference. Caitria and Morgan definitely are!