The Twin Bridges Volleyball Club co-founder has taken significant strides in developing the sport of volleyball in her native Sarnia community. Her efforts been noticed across the province, receiving the OVA Achievement Award in 2020 for her years of dedication, and in 2021, the OVA is proud to recognize Lisa Bennett with the Community Engagement Award. Her persistence and presence continue to inspire all who are involved with her work.
In 2004, Lisa hit the ground running when she initiated the grassroots stream for Twin Bridges with the Fall & Spring House Leagues. Designed for grade 5-8 players, the Leagues brought more visibility to the Club and has been successful in raising funds that continue the development and reach of Twin Bridges programs. Her work is tireless, and as the President and Treasurer of Twin Bridges she leads all fronts on the Club’s administration and promotion as well as with the integration of new opportunities. In recent years, Twin Bridges has added core grassroots programs to encourage a greater range of local youth to give volleyball a try. Such programs have been Triple Ball, Smashball and the Parent and Player Program, where Twin Bridges has added a Smashball component to the instruction. A coach for several of the rep teams to boot, Lisa does what she can to ensure her athletes and membership have their volleyball needs met and will adapt the programming accordingly to keep a high level of engagement.
Lisa’s passion and ethic are not only demonstrated in the volleyball community, but equally in her other endeavours as well. A long-time member in the Sarnia golf and curling community, she was awarded the Shirley Allen Award for her contributions and volunteer work as a respected member in the curling scene where she’s always looking to help and support future curlers. This level of commitment even extends beyond the realm of sports and with her involvement on the Sarnia Oil and Chemical Committee. For her work on developing a safety system design, she has been recognized by the Suncor President’s Operational Excellence Award, honoured as a finalist in 2019.
In over 40 years of volleyball involvement, Lisa has been a constant in Sarnia. An individual who is the everyday hero and anchor for so many athletes and parents, her level of professionalism and care for the Twin Bridges remains as strong as ever. Congratulations, Lisa on being named the 2021 OVA Community Engagement Award recipient!