Five Local Residents Receive Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers

Dec 16, 2016

For Immediate Release                                                   Friday, December 16, 2016

Mayor Brian Bigger, on behalf of His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, distinguished five local residents with the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers, Thursday, December 15 at Tom Davies Square.

The Medal, a prestigious national honour, is given in recognition of exceptional volunteer achievements of Canadians from across the country. 

"It was an honour to recognize five of our citizens with this award," Mayor Brian Bigger said. "The greatest gift we can give one another is the gift of our time. These five outstanding citizens have gone above and beyond for our community."

The recipients of the Medal for Volunteers include:

Henry Wall
Henry has been a member of the Navy League of Canada for over 30 years. He has held various executive positions, including president and director of northern Ontario division of the League. His long-standing contributions include overseeing six branches of the League and supervising cadet competitions across northern Ontario.

Brian Vilha Koivu
Brian is known for serve the Sudbury Community with compassion, dedication, integrity and hard work. He is currently a member of the board of directors of the Sudbury Finnish Rest Home Society, the board of the Sudbury Theatre Centre, the board of the Canadian Red Cross, and his church.

Linda Bissett
Linda has been with Science North for almost 20 years. She has worked with the museum's live animals on the Northern Ecosystems floor, in the Nature Exchange Gallery and the F. Jean MacLeod Butterfly Gallery. She has been an exemplary science ambassador, engaging visitors and mentoring the organization's many volunteers in an effort to advance public knowledge about nature and the environment.

Bryan Chapelle
As the president of the Sudbury branch of the Navy League, Bryan has helped veterans, cadets and his fellow citizens through his volunteer efforts. His hard work with the City of Greater Sudbury and local Sea Cadets have made a lasting mark on this community.

Raymond Loiselle (posthumous)
A founding member of the Banque d'aliments Sudbury Food Bank, Raymon helped develop a network of 49 agencies designed to assist individuals over an area larger than Toronto. Through his guidance and personal efforts, more than 16,000 individuals facing food security issues are able to access vital resources.

The medal awarded to the late Raymond Loiselle was presented to his three children; Monique LeBlanc-Loiselle, Suzanne Trudeau and Paul Loiselle. 

To nominate someone for the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers visit http://caring.gg.ca.

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