They almost live across the street from each other, and they're both significant long-time Woodstock residents as both Muriel Carder and Bill Gillespie were among a large group of honourees this past weekend to receive a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal
Carder, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday, is an absolute gem of a person, and a retired minister.
Gillespie has been organizing the Terry Fox Run for more than three decades -- within the school system and for the community. Gillespie is also a lifetime achievement member of the Woodstock Sports Wall of Fame. Both are tireless volunteers and certainly to be admired by everyone.
Below is the story in The Sentinel-Review which marked the occasion.
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Oxford residents recognized for outstanding community service
WOODSTOCK - The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was presented to 30 Oxford County residents (including one posthumously) on Saturday, Nov. 10, in recognition of outstanding community service.
Oxford MP Dave MacKenzie hosted a medal presentation ceremony at the Quality Inn and Suites in Woodstock for the recipients who had been nominated for the honour by people in their communities.
A total of 60,000 of the medals are being presented in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne. Queen Victoria is the only other British monarch to reach the 60 year milestone.
“(The medal) is a tangible and lasting way to pay tribute to many Canadians whose achievements have benefited their fellow citizens, their community, their organization and the country,” said MacKenzie.
He pointed out that the medal recognizes what the recipients have done for their communities outside of their chosen professions.
“To have such a group of people from across Oxford County makes me proud,” MacKenzie said. “I don't think there's any doubt in anyone's mind that these are worthy recipients.”
While MacKenzie presented the medals, Brad Janssen, Woodstock's manager of community and special events who was among those who received a medal on Saturday, read out the contributions made by each recipient.
“It's quite an honour to be nominated by the community for your community involvement,” said Bruce Richards, a Kintore resident who is former chief of the now defunct Ingersoll Police Service and one of the medal recipients.
Tillsonburg resident Bob Parsons, chief of the Township of Norwich Fire Service, agreed with Richards that being presented with the medal is an honour.
“There's such a diversified story of what people do to make this such a great place to live,” he said.
Sarah Cameron, an Ingersoll resident and Grade 11 student at Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute, said she was speechless when she received a letter in October informing her she'd been selected for the award.
“I didn't do (what I did) to get anything,” said Cameron who was presented with the Canada Cord – Girl Guides of Canada's highest honour – earlier this year.
Robin Barker-James, a teacher from Tillsonburg known for making Canada's military history come to life, said he was humbled to receive the Jubilee medal.
“When I heard the citations (of the other recipients), I had a feeling I'd snuck under the gate or something,” he said. “It's a good feeling. I wish my mother had been here and in spirit she was.”
Barker-James said he was reflecting on a conversation he had at a military tattoo in Tillsonburg with Ernest “Smokey” Smith - Canada's last living recipient of the Victoria Cross before he died in 2005. The Second World War veteran told him that awards come with a commitment to living up to what they represent.
“I'm thinking about (Smokey) as well today,” said Barker James.
THE LIST
Recipients of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal on Saturday include:
Henry Atkinson – Tillsonburg, Michelle Babcock – Tillsonburg, Samantha Bakker – Woodstock, Robin Barker-James – Tillsonburg, William Bennett – Tillsonburg (posthumously), Norman Burt-Gerrans – Woodstock, Sarah Cameron – Ingersoll, Muriel Carder – Woodstock, Robert Claringbold – Tillsonburg, Irene Crawford-Siano – Woodstock, Fred Freeman – Woodstock, Henry Fullick – Hickson, Bill Gillespie – Woodstock, Roland Haley – Innerkip, Ross Hughes – Woodstock, Margaret James – Woodstock, Brad Janssen – Woodstock, Ruth Johnston – Woodstock, James Mathews – Tillsonburg, Carol McLean – Woodstock, Mert McMahon – Innerkip, Terry Meloche – Woodstock, Robert Parsons – Tillsonburg, Bill Pratt – Tillsonburg, Charles Reeves – Beachville, Bruce Richards – Kintore, Robert Sivyer – Salford, David Stock – Woodstock, John Taylor – Drumbo, Douglas Vincent – Woodstock.
Several Woodstock and area residents were among 30 people presented with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal by Oxford MP Dave MacKenzie in Woodstock on Saturday, Nov. 10, including Samantha Bakker, Norman Burt-Gerrans, Muriel Carder, Irene Crawford-Siano, Fred Freeman, Bill Gillespie, Ross Hughes, Margaret James, Brad Janssen, Ruth Johnston, Carol McLean, Terry Meloche, David Stock, Douglas Vincent (absent from photo), Henry Fullick, Roland Haley, Mert McMahon and John Taylor.
JOHN TAPLEY/INGERSOLL TIMES/QMI AGENCY
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