Macdonald Volunteer Service Award Recipient - Evan Lawton

On behalf of Macdonald Minor Ball,  we would like to congratulate Evan Lawton on receiving a Municipality of Macdonald Volunteer Service Award for coaching youth baseball in our community.

The Youth Category recognizes young people who have made considerable contributions to their schools, organizations and community through volunteering. These young people serve as role models, encouraging other young people to give themselves for the betterment of their community and municipality.

Evan is a resident of Oak Bluff and has been involved with Macdonald Baseball for many years as a player and in recent years, has volunteered his time and energy to mentor the younger generation.  He was an Assistant Coach for a U13 Baseball team during the 2023 season and stepped up to Head Coach a U15 Baseball team during the 2025 season.  

This particular commitment begins in early April and is a full time job through the second week of July, requiring multiple coaching certifications completed on personal time.  Evan took this on during University exams and a summer job placement in his chosen field of study. He was early for every practice/game and stayed late after each home game to rake the diamonds, ensuring they were left in good condition.

Knowledge of game rules, pitch counts, lineup preparation, coaches meetings, scheduling games, communicating with parents and relating to each of the 11 unique players on his roster was executed seamlessly. I can assume this was overwhelming at times, but you would never have known it!

Each game ended with a meeting to recap, praising the team members for what went well and encouraging skills that they could improve on in the future.  They celebrated small wins even when the game didn't end in their favor. The team had a great season and ended their run in the semi finals at Provincials.

A particularly impressive skill of Evan's was the way he was able to interact with both the players and officials in a calm, respectful manner. His quiet confidence diffused a few stressful situations with ease. 

He was a great role model for the younger boys who were able to get a glimpse of how they may somehow be able to give back to the community, continuing to enjoy a sport they love after aging out of the program.

Volunteering can be a thankless job, but our wish is for Evan to realize the positive impact of his efforts with this particular group of boys and the lasting impression that he has left on them and their families. 

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