Community Builders Awards: Legacy award recipient remembered as a trailblazer who helped strengthen Guelph for generations

Pat McCraw’s legacy can still be felt throughout Guelph decades after she first began volunteering within the community.

Known for her leadership, compassion and commitment to helping others, McCraw played a key role in shaping several organizations and initiatives that continue to strengthen the community today.

In recognition of her efforts and lasting impact, Pat McCraw has been named this year’s GuelphToday Community Builders Award recipient in the Legacy category.

McCraw passed away on Feb. 13, 2025, at the age of 95.

“She shaped so much of both the YMCA of Three Rivers and the Guelph Community Foundation. She was a real trailblazer,” shared Lisa Hood, vice president of philanthropy and marketing at YMCA of Three Rivers.

Long before many women were encouraged to pursue careers outside the home, McCraw was balancing life as a working mother while remaining deeply involved in volunteerism and community leadership.

“She worked in public health as a young woman and young mom, which alone was pretty revolutionary for the time,” Hood said.

Over the years, McCraw became involved with a wide range of organizations and causes throughout Guelph, always guided by a desire to make the community stronger and more supportive for others.

She was one of the founding mem

bers of Guelph Community Foundation, serving on the organization’s first board of directors more than 26 years ago.

Since then, the foundation has granted millions of dollars to initiatives and organizations focused on improving the well-being of people in Guelph and surrounding communities.

Sarah Haanstra, executive director of the Guelph Community Foundation, said McCraw’s name was one she already knew well before beginning her own work at the foundation.

“She was someone who was a part of so many important organizations and initiatives,” Haanstra said. “She laid the groundwork for so many amazing things in our community.”

McCraw made a lasting impact through her work with the YMCA of Three Rivers, where her leadership helped inspire one of Guelph’s most recognized community celebrations.

While serving on the YMCA board of directors, McCraw and fellow board members attended a Women of Distinction event hosted by the Toronto YWCA. Recognizing the importance of celebrating women making meaningful contributions to their communities, she helped bring the idea back to Guelph.

Her vision ultimately led to the launch of Guelph’s Women of Distinction program in 1994.

The program has since grown into a longstanding community tradition that continues to honour women who have helped shape and strengthen the city.

As of 2026, the program is now in its 32nd year.

“Pat was the kind of person who set an example for others to follow,” Haanstra said.

Beyond those contributions, McCraw also dedicated her time to organizations including Family and Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington and the Canadian Federation of University Women, among many others.

“I think it’s so important to celebrate people whose lives were committed to their families and their community,” Haanstra added. “She’s very deserving of this.”

The Legacy award is a posthumous honour, celebrating the memory of an individual whose life and contributions have left a lasting and meaningful impact on their community, profession or cause.

Through decades of leadership, volunteerism and advocacy, Pat McCraw helped shape a stronger and more compassionate Guelph community.

Congratulations to the family and loved ones of Pat McCraw.

This award is proudly sponsored by Gilbert McIntyre & Son Funeral Home.