Amidst the hum of creativity at Renascent’s Sparks of Hope on November 15, 2025, champions of the recovery community were honoured.
Renascent honoured this year’s recipients of the Yielding Family Legacy Recovery Awards and the prestigious Peter Armstrong Community Award of Excellence. The Yielding Awards were presented to four extraordinary recipients while the Armstrong Award was presented to one honoree. Their lives demonstrate that each act of service can ignite countless journeys to healing.
The awards, steeped in legacies of compassion and service, remind us that recovery thrives through the unwavering dedication of everyday heroes.
The Yielding Family Legacy
The Yielding Family Legacy Recovery Award carries the profound weight of a family’s enduring dream. Founded in honor of Dr. Ed Yielding, Renascent’s former Medical Director, his devoted wife Bobby — affectionately called the “Renascent Nurse”— and their daughter Linda, a fierce advocate whose contributions to addictions medicine continue to echo. Together, they championed compassionate treatment and created the award to honour those who have a tremendous impact on the Renascent recovery community through their service.
This year, Renascent proudly presented four Yielding Awards, each a sparkling testament to resilience and service in action:
Gary McDonald, a Renascent alumni whose journey from years of incarceration amid violence to hope-filled service is nothing short of miraculous. Now Admissions Coordinator and Counsellor at Alpha House Recovery Community, Gary ensures no one slips through the cracks in their most vulnerable moments. A frequent speaker at CA and NA meetings, he mentors and sponsors with humility and faith, proving that redemption isn’t a destination, but a daily, living flame.
Hunter Comerford, the epitome of gratitude in motion since completing treatment at Renascent’s Paul J. Sullivan Centre in 2021. Every second and fourth Tuesday since 2022, Hunter has trekked from Toronto to Whitby to chair alumni meetings, forging deep connections that heal. He’s starred in Renascent’s Journeys of Recovery video series, co-led alumni initiatives, and championed events like the Road to Recovery Walkathon. A founding member of Full Catastrophe Sobriety, Hunter’s kindness and quiet “yes” to service ripple outward, changing lives for generations.
Samuel Roth, whose perseverance paints a masterpiece of hope. Having walked a long road with Renascent as a vital companion, Sam now co-chairs Renascent Madison Avenue Centre alumni meetings while serving as an Addictions and Mental Health Counsellor at Alpha House. Blending lived experience with professional wisdom, he has sponsored over a dozen Renascent alumni, and volunteered at Renascent’s ORC suite in 2025, creating spaces where everyone feels seen. Sam often says—and in return, he gifts that very life back to others, one empathetic ear at a time.
Sue Williams, a force of steadfast love who defies distance and doubt. Every first and third Saturday, Sue braves a two-hour drive from Owen Sound to Toronto — rain, snow, or shine — to chair Renascent Graham Munro Centre alumni meetings, weaving circles of care that encourage connection and courage. A sponsor, mentor, Girl Guides leader, ORC Planning Committee member, and generous donor, Sue breaks stigma by sharing her story publicly. Her selfless rhythm of service is not just dedication; it is the heartbeat of recovery, steady and selfless.
The Peter Armstrong Community Award
Capping the evening’s honors was the Peter Armstrong Community Award of Excellence, established in 2012 to spotlight trailblazers in philanthropy, innovation, service, volunteerism, and awareness for the recovery world. Named for Peter Armstrong, a steadfast Renascent ally whose countless behind-the-scenes efforts have equipped clients with the tools and environments essential for thriving.
This year’s radiant recipient: Darren Greer, a 22-year veteran whose life weaves a tapestry of clinical mastery, cultural wisdom, and soul-deep empathy. As Clinical Case Manager at Alpha House Recovery Community, Darren transcends his role, greeting each client with patience that sees beyond the struggle to the spark within. A proud Two-Spirited man of mixed Irish and Indigenous heritage, he masterfully integrates Indigenous traditions — Sacred Circles, smudging, storytelling — into evidence-based therapy, helping clients reclaim identity, belonging, and purpose where science and spirit harmonize. Beyond counseling, Darren sponsors men in recovery, mentors staff, leads Buddhist-inspired meditation circles, and channels his gifts as a published author, musician, and visual artist into workshops that alchemize pain into poetry and grief into grace.
Congratulations to Gary, Hunter, Samuel, Sue, and Darren!
