A familiar name in the sporting, faith and volunteer communities will take on the title of Guardian Angel next year.
Bruce Mackay was named the 2027 Guardian Angel by The Children’s Foundation on Wednesday ahead of its flagship gala in March.
Mackay is a chaplain for the Belleville Senators and the former Belleville Bulls, is an active volunteer and also runs a church youth group with his wife Tanya, with several students taking part that previously went through The Children’s Foundation programs.
He has supported organizations such as the YMCA with a $125,000 commitment to the new Centre for Life, Grace Inn Shelter, Christmas Sharing, Hospice, the Humane Society and TCF, while organizing the Dave Mackay Memorial Golf Tournament in honor of his late father, with proceeds supporting organizations and causes throughout the community.
Mackay is also a past recipient of a Quinte Business Association Businessperson of the year through his work with the company that bears his family name, Mackay Insurance.
Belleville’s Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre was filled with family and community members, along with community partners and past Guardian Angels to watch Mackay accept the honour.
“It’s very humbling, very overwhelming,” Mackay said in reaction to the honour.
“I see the previous Guardian Angels, and I kind of feel like I don’t deserve to be in their company, but it’s a massive honor, and I don’t take that lightly.”
In his remarks to the crowd, Mackay reflected on overcoming his initial nerves after he and his family moved to Belleville from Quebec thanks in large part to getting involved in his local church group and taking part in Children’s Foundation initiatives.
He noted these experiences were’ foundational’ in helping him spread his wings and get closer to his community, eventually leading him to help with providing those opportunities to kids who couldn’t afford to.
Mackay added that while being recognized is great, his focus is on helping local children thrive and keeping the memory of his father alive.
“My dad died 10 years ago, and I bought the business from him in 2003, we continued to work together until his passing and not a day goes by where I don’t miss him, and I wish he could be here today,” he said.
“I’m thankful for how he brought me up. I’m thankful for our partnership over the years, and I’m thankful he instilled in me some of the the things that he did, and my mother as well. They’re very generous, very caring, and never wanted any acknowledgement for it and I always appreciated that about them.”
TCF describes Guardian Angels as people who give their time and resources selflessly to support their community, making outstanding impacts financially and improving young lives and stated Mackay embodies those values greatly.
Past Guardian Angels include the late Rev. Hal Wilson, Tom and Golda Lafferty, Kristin Crowe, Patricia Guernsey and Bernie Ouellet, among many others.
The upcoming gala event will be sponsored by Bay of Quinte Mutual Insurance and will have a ‘Great Gatsby’ theme to it.
More on The Children’s Foundation and all the work it does is at this link.
