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Governor General to present the Caring Canadian Award to six residents of the province of QuebecSeptember 19, 2006 OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will present the Caring Canadian Award to six residents of the province of Quebec during a ceremony to be held at the Governor General's residence at the Citadelle of Québec, on September 21, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. Information on the recipients is attached. Media representatives are invited to cover this event. This year, the Caring Canadian Award celebrates its 10th year of existence. The Caring Canadian Award is presented to individuals whose unpaid, voluntary contributions provide extraordinary help or care to people in the community. Recipients usually have served over a number of years and normally have not been previously recognized by a national or provincial honour. The Caring Canadian Award consists of a certificate and a lapel pin. The award symbol represents Canadians who selflessly give of their time and energy to others. The maple leaf symbolizes the people of Canada and their spirit. The heart depicts the openheartedness of volunteers and caregivers. The helping hand and heart support the maple leaf. The hand is outstretched to portray boundless generosity. Additional information about this award can be found at http://www.gg.ca/honours/awards/cca/index_e.asp -30- Media information
Melville Dusablon, Trois-Rivières, Quebec Over the years, the Artisans bénévoles de la Paix, Héma-Québec, and the Monastère du Carmel have benefited from Melville Dusablon's many talents. In the 1980s, he founded Moisson Mauricie/Centre-du-Québec; today, owing to his infectious enthusiasm and his leadership, this food bank now has over 400 volunteers. Always ready to help those less fortunate, he oversees fundraising campaigns, collects donations, distributes the food, and visits the sick and lonely. Mervin F. Jones, Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Quebec For almost 50 years, Mervin Jones has volunteered with the Scouting movement and has personified the attributes endorsed by Lord Baden-Powell. A military veteran, Mr. Jones trained 1 130 scouts, mostly in outdoor skills and first aid, and facilitated the integration of girls into the Scouting movement. In addition, he helped with the amalgamation of the French "Scouts Catholiques" and English "Boy Scouts of Canada" programs by personally translating documents, which helped scouts progress in the movement when relocating to other communities. He now shares his experience as a veteran with students of Canadian history. His leadership, patience and devotion have earned him the admiration of all who know him. Vincent Plante, Lévis, Quebec As an adolescent, Vincent Plante was already organizing activities for his parish. Since that time, he has worked to better the lives of the most vulnerable and loneliest members of his community. A member of the Knights of Columbus, he visits retirees at five separate establishments and gives communion at the Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis. A man of faith working to reach as many people as possible, Mr. Plante started a prayer group in a shopping centre. He hands out gifts to children through the Arbre de Noël enchanté and participates in fundraising campaigns for a number of organizations, including the Atelier occupationnel de Lévis, which enables persons with disabilities to gain independence through the sale of their handicrafts. Eliette Baril Rondeau and Roger Rondeau, Saint-Damien, Quebec Eliette Baril Rondeau and Roger Rondeau are involved with several organizations in the Saint-Damien community. Founders of the Société d'horticulture et d'écologie de la Matawanie, Mr. and Mrs. Rondeau use their talents and willingly share their knowledge to beautify community gardens and preserve the environment. Together, they also offer a comforting presence to the sick. They are deeply involved in their Christian community, host the "Vie Active" program of the Club de l'Âge d'or, and are members of the Ruche de Saint-Damien, which provides assistance to the most vulnerable members of the community. Ghislaine Savard, Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec Highly active in a number of organizations in Charlevoix, Ghislaine Savard started off as a volunteer for Héma-Québec 40 years ago. A member of the Daughters of Isabella chapter of Baie-Saint-Paul, Ms. Savard organizes various roundtables. She is also volunteer chair for the Centre d'accueil Pierre-Dupré, where she gives communion, recruits volunteers, and organizes social events and fundraising campaigns. Moreover, Ms. Savard is a pastoral animator and chancellor of the Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul Christian community. Her presence at birthdays and anniversaries is a highlight for those she meets. |
