It is indeed a great honour for me to receive the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers. The beautiful part, of not just getting this award, but is my volunteering in my community. It was because this award was for my community work that I decided to not go to Rideau Hall for the official presentation, and I was glad that Mayor Jakubeit agreed to do the honours.
The “icing on the cake” was to also have Prime Minister Trudeau publicly congratulate me, even though neither he nor my MP, Richard Cannings, could do the presentation, as they are “partisan,” as I was told by Rideau Hall.
The Sovereign’s Medal also comes with a job description, so there will be no hiding the medal in my sock drawer. One such “job” is to be present at Canadian citizenship events, to talk to new Canadians about being Canadian and being part of one’s community.
Regardless of age, I believe that we all give in many ways to our communities. Aside from the seemingly boundless energy of Penticton’s so-called “retired” population, I’m always greatly impressed by our children, our youth, and our Penticton Vees players, and all their wonderful contributions to making their community and this planet a better place for all. My brothers and I are also very thankful, that our father couldn’t get a job in the USA, which is why we all emigrated to Canada in 1958.
The office of the Governor General has a website: caring.gg.ca, where anyone can nominate a person for this medal. So, now I’m wondering, who can I nominate? Suggestions anyone?
Brigid Kemp, Penticton
