Earlier this week, Sir Sandford Fleming College honoured its best and brightest students at the school’s annual Academic Awards ceremony. Each student that accepted an award that evening was deserving, but firefighting program graduate Scott Cannata stood out from the crowd.
Cannata was honoured with the first Mitchel Pogue Memorial Award of Excellence, funds for which were raised by the Ontario Trucking Association’s 2013 Car & Bike Rally.
Cannata was presented with the award by Dave Pogue of E.G. Gray Transportation, the father of the late Mitchell Pogue, for whom the award commemorates (image, right).
While striving for excellence and demonstrating a strong work ethic, Cannata exemplified the qualities that Mitchell’s peers and teachers all learned to love and admire about Mitchell himself. He also inspired others outside of the classroom by taking in part in various charities, including running 8500 km’s across Canada to raise money for cancer research. 
After accepting the award, Cannata gave a heartfelt thank you for the award. “This award means more to me than any of you will know,” he told the audience. He explained that the recent loss of his own father made the award all the more meaningful. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, nor a more deserving student to honour Mitchell’s memory.
The OTA congratulates Scott Cannata for all of his accomplishments and wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
Meanwhile, OTA also recently donated $2500 to the Education Foundation in the name of former Cummins Eastern Canada sales manager, Lucas Redpath, who passed away in an accident at his home last summer. The money was raised through the 2013 Car & Bike Rally. The OTA Education Foundation will use the donation to fund its unique scholarship program, which provides financial assistance to children of parents who work in the trucking industry.
The 2014 Car & Bike Rally will continue to raise funds for charity and the Education Foundation.
