May’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Lyn Elliott to support pop-up pizza potlucks.

“Nobody really likes a potluck,” says Lyn. “But everyone loves pizza. I want to host pop-up #PizzaOutside potlucks in support of the Parkdale Food Centre.”

For just over a year,” she explains, “I’ve been throwing #PizzaOutside and #CoffeeOutside parties and getting to know all sorts of people. The pizza oven is a natural conversation starter, but I think it can be BIGGER. I'd like to use them as a social bridging tool – to help my neighbours meet each other while doing something fun and helping other neighbours.”

“How will it work? 1. Follow us on Twitter or Instagram to find the next pop-up pizza potluck. 2. I’ll bring the pizza oven and the dough. You bring your favourite toppings. 3. Meet me at the pop-up location, and enjoy some pizza with your neighbours.”

“The pizza’s free,” Lyn adds. But to pay it forward, you can become one of the Parkdale Food Centre's #100NeighboursStrong.”

Most of the money from Awesome Ottawa will go toward a custom bike trailer to transport the pizza oven, as Lyn wants to take the potlucks where the people are – the Ottawa River Pathway, the Rideau Canal, and more. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram to find the next pop-up pizza potluck, or visit pizzabike.ca.

Lyn is a developer of visitor experiences in Canada’s national parks. She has thrown self-described epic pizza parties wherever she has lived.