(Perth) - On November 15th and 16th, MPP Randy Hillier and MP Scott Reid presented Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Awards to a number of recipients from Lanark, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, in two ceremonies held in Napanee and Perth, respectively.

The Diamond Jubilee medals commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne 60 years ago, and her service to Canada. Recipients of the awards were nominated by their peers for outstanding service to their community, to the Province of Ontario, and/or to Canada.

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Recipients

Ann Babcock - Harrowsmith
Ann has been a 4-H leader in Frontenac County for almost 25 years. She is also an active member of the Murvale Women's Institute and a volunteer at Harrowsmith Public School.

Ross Babcock - Yarker
Ross has been a Scouts leader for Beavers and Cubs, coached baseball, and also volunteered with local youth through church. However, his largest volunteering commitment has been with the Fire Department.

Shirley Boston - Roblin
Shirley served for 12 years on the Board of the Lennox and Addington County General Hospital. She has represented Napanee and area on the Kingston Community Health Counsel for 4 years, and chaired the Napanee and District Community Foundation.

Merle Bowes – Carleton Place
Mr. Bowes has been a tireless advocate for the farming and rural landowner community. He has been president of local farmers markets, local president for the National Farmers union, represented Lanark County at Farm Markets Ontario, and has been influential in promoting sound environmental policies that respect rural landowners.

Roger Chevrier – Smiths Falls
Roger served in Korea from 1952 to 1953, in Germany from 1955 to 1958, and in Egypt from 1964 to 1965. He then had the opportunity to be the driver for Queen Elizabeth, President Kennedy, Prime Ministers Diefenbaker, Pearson, and Trudeau, Prince Phillip, Princess Margaret, and Sir Charles Lamb.

Andrew Clarke - Balderson
Andrew served as an air navigator, navigation instructor, and navigation leader of 408 Squadron in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He became the founding chair of the International Peace Academy Committee to train peace keepers for the United Nations. He was asked to become Secretary of the World Association of World Federalists.

Leslie Closs - Perth
During his 33 year career, Leslie served on three six-month peace missions: United Nations Emergency Force II in Egypt, United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Golan Heights, and with NATO in the Stabilization Force Headquarters Sarajevo, Bosnia. He retired with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer and has been invested as a Member of the Order of Military Merit and awarded the Canadian Decoration.

Mary Cook – Carleton Place
Mary is a local business owner who has been a lifelong volunteer member of IODE Canada. She was a well-known CBC broadcaster for more than 45 years, whose stories of growing up during the Great Depression are now featured in textbooks in Ontario elementary schools. Mrs. Cook is well known for helping others and for her energy. For example, she started 12 branches of the Canadian Cancer Society in one year.

Eric Devlin - Perth
A former Perth municipal councilor, Mr. Devlin was once the oldest-serving councilor in Ontario. He is active with the local Royal Canadian Legion and is a well-known active volunteer in the Perth community. He is a Canadian Forces Veteran, having served in Korea, Japan, Europe and the Indo-China conflict.

Hans Eggink - Amherstview
Has 40 years of service in the Canadian Forces. He is involved in his community by volunteering with homeless shelters, food banks and church projects. He is a member of the Lions Club Odessa and District, a member of the Navy League of Canada and a supporter of his local Air Cadet Branch.

Hugh Finlay - Napanee
Over the last twenty years, Mr. Finlay has been actively involved in advocating for improved care for people with Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI). Through his efforts, the Ministry of Health now has a proposal for a new ABI facility in eastern Ontario.

Marcel Giroux – Sharbot Lake
Marcel was a teacher for over thirty-one years. He was instrumental in the creation of the Sharbot Lake Medical Centre and the Sharbot Lake Municipal Beach and Park. He is also a board member of the Alzheimer's Society for Kingston. He was part of the group which developed North Frontenac Community Services and has been chair of the Amalgamated library boards of Kingston and the County of Frontenac.

Jack Hamilton - Bath
A senior statesman of the Bath & District Lions Club, Mr. Hamilton has been President on a number of occasions and has also served as Zone Chairperson. His many community endeavours include hearing and vision screening at elementary schools, annual food drives, Kids and Cops fishing derbies and volunteering at his local church.

Krista Hanna-Thompson - Harrowsmith
Krista has been a volunteer skating coach with the West Kingston Skating Club (now Skate Kingston) since 1993. She is also a volunteer with Cystic Fibrosis Canada, St. John Ambulance, Loyal Rescue Inc., and Kidney Cancer Canada.

Larry Hardy - Toledo
Recently retired, Chief Hardy served 38 years in law enforcement, 23 of those years with the Smiths Falls Police Services, where, as a strong proponent of community based policing, he oversaw the force’s greatest developments in technology and training, leaving Smiths Falls with a truly self-sufficient police service.

Francis Harvey – Smiths Falls
Francis served in the Canadian Army in various locations in Ontario, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, as well as one year in Egypt with the United Nations Peacekeeping Unit during the Suez Crisis.

Gary Hawley – Sharbot Lake
Gary Hawley has faithfully played the organ for St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Sharbot Lake for the last sixty-three years. He has also dedicated 15 of those years to help with the church's finances.

Mary Howes - Parham
Mary has held various positions for the Canadian Cancer Society for 39 years. She has also been a member of the Grandmothers by the Lake Association, and a member for 29 years of the Parham Happy Travelers Senior Club. She is currently the President of the District for the Women's Institute.

Gary Irish - Yarker
Gary served for 58 years as a voluntary firefighter. He has been a Cub Master and volunteers at the Napanee Foster Parent office.
Robert Leonard - Hartington
Mr. Leonard has been an active volunteer and advocate in the farming, fishing, tourism and business community in Frontenac County. He also has been instrumental in providing expertise and public policy advice in the rehabilitation, conservation and stocking of our inland fisheries.

David Jacklin - Balderson
David has produced over 135 different plays and musicals. He is a founding member of the Perth Theatre Project, and founder of Barn Door Productions. He also helped build and finance the Studio Theatre here in Perth.

Janice Jacklin - Balderson
Janice is another founding member of the Perth Theatre Project, and a co-producer of Barn Door Productions. She is the founding Artistic Director of the Perth Community Choir, the founding Director of the Perth Summer Theatre, and a founding member of the Perth Performing Arts Committee.

Douglas Kilpatrick – Smiths Falls
Douglas Kilpatrick served in the Royal Canadian Artillery before becoming a teacher, and then a principal in Smiths Falls. Doug has been involved with Meals on Wheels, Interval House, the United Church, Young Heritage Leaders, and others.

Jack Kirkland – Smiths Falls
Mr. Kirkland is a long serving member of the Smiths Falls community, both in his capacity as a local lawyer, and as a volunteer with numerous community organizations. In 1988 he was appointed a specialist in civil and criminal litigation by the LSUC.

Susan Mactaggart - Godfrey
Susan founded and currently serves as president of the Bobs and Crow Lakes Foundation, a registered Canadian charity whose mission is to protect the environment through education and citizen-funded projects.

Keith Miller - Stella
Mr. Miller has a long history of concerning himself with the welfare and prosperity of his community and has promoted many farming and other causes with local and higher levels of government. He is a patient teacher who has personally instructed many on conservation-conscious disposal of waste.

Sonya Oleinikow – Carleton Place
Sonya served for ten years in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Military Police Officer, including overseas deployments. She is now a Detective Constable in the Ontario Provincial Police with thirteen years of service. She is a member of the Perth Civitan Club.

Martin Oomen - Inverary
Martin served for 29 years on the local volunteer Fire Department rising to the rank of Chief. During his tenure, the fire service expanded from 1 fire hall and 2 fire trucks, to 3 fire stations, 9 trucks, and a rescue boat. When the amalgamated Township of South Frontenac was created, he oversaw the blending of 4 fire districts into 1 Fire Department. Many residents still remember his support during the 1998 ice storm. Since retirement, Martin volunteers with the County of Frontenac’s Plowmen’s Association and the local National Farmers Union.

Ronald Pethick - Flinton
Mr. Pethick is a founding father of the Conservationists of Frontenac and Addington (COFA). With his efforts, they have maintained a walleye hatchery and contributed to the sustainability and maintenance of the species in our lakes. Mr. Pethick has also been a tireless volunteer in numerous community organizations in the region over the years.

Jack Rabb – Smiths Falls
Mr. Rabb has served with the local Royal Canadian Legion since 1954, and is a past-president and zone council member; he has served on the Settlers Week Committee and has been honoured in the past as a "Citizen of the Year".

Jackie Seaton - Perth
Jackie Seaton is the founder of the Empty Bowls Project. Through this charitable artistic endeavor, he has raised over $150,000 for other local charities such as The Food for Thought Program, the Perth and District Food Bank, and YAK, through the sale of handcrafted bowls.

Frank Streek - Napanee
Frank Streek is a WWII veteran, who has been made a life member of the Royal Canadian Legion in recognition of his contributions. As a member of the Historical Society, he has served on its executive committee and in a two year project collected information on over 700 veterans which formed the basis of a commemorative book. He is also a member of the Napanee Police Services Board and the local branch of Amnesty International.

Ronald Stronski – Smiths Falls
Mr. Stronski is known affectionately as the conscience of Smiths Falls council, having attended every council meeting in the last 30 years. He has his own observer seat at council. He is also a founder of the local recreational Hall of Fame.

Stan Suffel – Smiths Falls
Mr. Suffel remains an active member of the Smiths Falls Lions Club, and is a Senator in the local JayCees. He also served as Chair of the Smiths Falls crime stoppers. He was recently acknowledged by the town for his lifetime volunteerism.

John Taylor – Smiths Falls
John is a life-long volunteer and community leader whose activities include volunteering with his church and with the Smiths Falls Railway museum. Whenever asked to volunteer, he inevitably brings other volunteers with him.

Iris Taylor – Smiths Falls
Iris is a life-long volunteer and community leader whose activities include volunteering with her church and the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle program. Whenever asked to volunteer, she inevitably brings other volunteers with her.

Bernice Thompson - Napanee
Has been a leader of 26 4H Clubs. She taught classes for the members of the Napanee Arts and Crafts Guild. She volunteered with children at a nursing home and has been a member of the Women’s Institute for many years during which she held several leadership positions.

Philis Vivarais - Inverary
Philis served Canada as a Military Policewoman for twenty years, during which she volunteered in the community, providing information to school children about bike safety, personal safety, Dare program information, and military history. She is presently active in the Order of Amaranth and the Order of the Eastern Star.

Doug Wiseman - Perth
Mr. Wiseman served as MPP in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1971 to his retirement in 1990, including as a Cabinet Minister in the government of Bill Davis. Born in Smiths Falls, Mr. Wiseman has operated a number of local business over the years, has served as a public school board chair and a trustee of St. Paul United church in Perth.