Allison was born to stand out!

Allison Bobbette says she wasn't born to fit in. She was born to stand out, and that's exactly what she has done.

A love of baseball, learning and music drove Bobbette to create opportunities for herself and others living with disabilities in Barrie and across Simcoe County.

The 30-year-old received the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 10th Anniversary Champion Award at a City Council meeting Monday night.

"I love the work that I do and I am very honoured to have this award," she said after receiving the award.

The champion award recognizes people who show passion in boosting accessibility and inclusion in their communities.

Bobbette has a long history of volunteer work, focused on inclusion. As a student at Eastview Collegiate in Barrie, she was voted president of Wednesday Evening Bash and Youth in Action, an integrated social group for teens that linked her with others in Ontario working for social change.

Bobbette started the Circle of Friends group for mainstream students together with special needs students and her determination improved integration in the school.

Volunteering is a passion that continued while Bobbette attended Sault College in 2008, and when she returned, the young woman convinced her father, a Georgian College vice-president, to create Community Integration through Cooperative Education (CICE), a two-year program that teaches job skills to young adults with intellectual disabilities.

Those who know Bobbette - many supporting her and applauding as she was recognized at the City Council meeting - are proud of her long list of accomplishments that include publishing, singing and song writing.

"Allison is not just a role model for people with special needs ... She is a role model, period," concluded