Paul Penna Community Award for Community Service presented to Marcos Méndez Banda.
Helping the most vulnerable people in society is a noble and never-ending responsibility.
There is always someone who needs a helping hand, no matter how young or old, healthy or sick, or how alone or lonely they may be.
Paul Penna, the founder of Agnico Eagle, understood this reality and knew that by helping others, we fulfil a need within ourselves and our communities. He also knew that contributing to a better world takes passion, persuasion and the most valuable resource of all – a person’s time.
That is why Agnico Eagle established the Paul Penna Award for Community Service 12 years ago. The Award is bestowed annually on an Agnico Eagle employee who best exemplifies the philosophies of our founder for community involvement, dedication and hard work.
This year’s recipient, Marcos Méndez Banda from our Pinos Altos site in Mexico, is determined to make a difference in the lives of others and in his community.
“A desire to help others is all you need to make a difference. I have realized, over the years, that while I may not have very much, my desire is all I need to help people in the community who are struggling to meet their most basic needs in life.”
Marcos’s volunteer work began by helping a remote community overcome difficult living conditions – a lack of infrastructure, jobs, health care and government services. He worked with his parents and church to gather clothing, shoes and food for local families. Later, he helped a young man who was badly injured in a car accident, single-handedly raising funds from his mine co-workers to cover the family’s medical expenses.
“From a simple invitation to help a remote community, I now devote a large part of my days to helping people, mainly young people, who are disadvantaged and need a better start in life.”
Today, Marcos is President of Ocampo Youth Action, a group of 60 young volunteers who support the elderly and sick, people with different abilities, as well as young girls and boys who live near the Pinos Altos mine. He leads several social and community initiatives, including clothing and food drives, as well as environmental campaigns that involve collecting litter and creating awareness for a cleaner world.
“Our main goal is to keep our young people busy and away from the influence of drugs and alcohol, which are prevalent addictions in our communities. We educate them on the health benefits of being active in sports and the need to respect nature.”
What does Marcos think about winning the Paul Penna Award for Community Service? He says he is humbled by the honour and that it fuels his desire to do more.
“Working at Agnico Eagle has given me the opportunity to move forward economically and to see life differently. Winning this award is amazing because it gives me the chance to make others aware of how we can work together to improve local living conditions and collectively contribute to a better society and a healthier planet.”
In presenting the Paul Penna Award to Marcos during Agnico Eagle’s Annual General Meeting on April 26th Louise Grondin, our Senior Vice President of Environment, Sustainable Development and People said, “Marcos sees the hope in youth and instills in them the value of helping others in need. He is driven by acts that have a positive social impact and always has his community’s well-being in mind. Marcos, you truly embody the spirit of all that Mr. Penna valued as a leader and member of his community.”
*Marcos has been with Agnico Eagle since 2009 and is a truck and heavy machinery operator at our Pinos Altos mine in Mexico. He grew up in a loving and close family, and he learned the value of helping others at an early age. After high school, Marcos landed his first job as a Park Ranger at the Basaseachic Waterfall. Through this position he discovered a passion for and a deep dedication to the environment. At Agnico Eagle, he began to transform his passions for the environment and for helping those in need into action.
*Pictured above L-R Marc Legault - Senior Vice-President, Operations – U.S.A and Latin America, Louise Grondin - Senior Vice-President, Environment, Sustainable Development and People, Sean Boyd - Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jesús Antonio Méndez Banda, Marcos Méndez Banda, Jim Nasso - Chairman of the Board, Independent, Luis Felipe Medina - Vice President, Mexico.