By Linda Horn
HASTINGS – Local residents were honoured with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals here on Friday.
Rick Norlock, Member of Parliament for Northumberland‐Quinte West was on hand at the Hastings Civic Centre to hand out the medals to seven recipients.
The medals are a part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations which marks the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne. The Government of Canada is recognizing up to 60,000 people with the medals.
Of the 60,000 medals each Member of Parliament was given 30 medals for their riding.
Norlock, said for his selection process the riding was sorted into communities and the ones with a larger population received more medals. Recipients of the medals were nominated by their peers. After receiving all the nominations Norlock, said they went to each mayor to ask their opinion and see if their was anyone they thought had been missed.
“It was a difficult decision. We have a population of 125,000 in Northumberland-Quinte West and having to pick just 30 was difficult. We wanted a cross section of our community. People we can look up to and are good examples for all us to follow,” said Norlock.
Norlock, spent the week handing out the medals across the region with his last stop in Hastigns on Friday.
The recipients of the medals for the Alderville, Alnwick-Haldimand and Trent Hills region were Mayor Hector Macmillan, Tonya McColl-Smith, Dave Mowat, Joy Petherick, Jason Rae, Rosemarie Robins, and Louise Stevenson.
Jason Rae a Campbellford resident said “I am shocked about receiving this medal.” Rae, who says he does not let his disability get in his way, volunteers and also is a board member with Community living Campbellford/Brighton.
Dave Mowat of Alderville First Nations works to preserve, promote and protect Alderville’s history. “It is an honour and surprise to receive this medal today. It is a privilege to live in a country were people notice and honour your work,” Mowat said.
Jubilee Medal recipients:
Joy Petherick, Trent Hills
Current president of the Campbellford Seymour Agricultural Society; past homecraft president, former Northumberland Dairy educator, mother of three and enthusiast of the local 4‐H Club; an educator and the coordinator for the Children’s Activity Centre and member of the Multi‐Use Recreational Facility Start‐Up Committee; an Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies speaker.
Jason Rae, Trent Hills
A service‐minded role model who does not let his disability get in the way of his passion
for life. A contributing member of the Trent Hills community actively involved with ACE (Advocates for Community Education); Rights Commission with Community Living Campbellford/Brighton; Community Living Campbellford/Brighton Board of Directors and the community baseball team.
Hector Macmillan, Trent Hills
Current Mayor of Trent Hills, former Warden of Northumberland County and member of the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus. An active member of the Trent Hills Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraising team, which pre‐dated his own battle with cancer.
Tonya McColl‐Smith, Trent Hills
McColl‐Smith was the Hastings co‐chair for the Trent Hills Let Them Be Kids Playground & Fitness Park project; started Hastings Helpers as a way to manage the challenges the citizens of Hastings will face when the only bridge spanning the Trent Severn Waterway is closed.
Rosemarie Robins, Alnwick/Haldimand
Served in public office for 27 years including as councillor and deputy‐reeve in the former Township of Alnwick. Following amalgamation, she served as deputy‐mayor, after which she was elected Warden of the County of Northumberland. Served on the board of health, district health council, children and family services, the local hospital, police services, and conservation authority. First woman elected in Alnwick Township and the first woman deputy‐reeve elected Warden of Northumberland County.
Louise Stevenson, Alnwick/Haldimand
Most recentlyserved on the Foundation Board for the Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) as well as the Caring for Generations Society at NHH, on the Board of Directors for Westben Theatre in Campbellford. She also served the public for 23 years as a constituency assistant and later as Chief of Staff for a Cabinet member.
Dave Mowat, Alderville First Nation
Musician, councillor and historian, key in preserving Alderville’s history; including its military history, Olympic history and political history and for ensuring this information is accessible for all. He continues to be an active member of his community and works tirelessly to promote, preserve and protect what is important to both his family and Alderville First Nation.
