GALEN SIMMONS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Upon the occasion of the May 6, 2023 Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, a program was established to “recognize 30,000 outstanding individuals of all ages and from all walks of life who have made a difference in their communities.”
Following a nomination and review process here within the riding of Perth-Wellington, a ceremony was held on Sunday, Sept. 29 at Parkview Gardens (Royal Canadian Legion Auditorium) in Listowel where 20 individuals were presented with King Charles III Coronation Medals. Five of the 20 are based in St. Marys and area: Julie Docker-Johnson, Stewart Grant, Charles Hammond, Mary McIntosh, and Cameron Porteous.
John Nater, MP for Perth-Wellington, said, “Today, we honour 20 worthy recipients who embody the idea and the ideals of service. These recipients were nominated by their communities: their neighbours, co-workers, friends, and fellow volunteers. They come from all nine municipalities of Perth-Wellington, and embody different backgrounds, careers, and interests. But each of them holds one important thing in common: a commitment to community, and country.”
“Collectively, they have devoted tens of thousands of volunteer hours to community causes, they’ve raised millions of dollars for charitable activities, and they have touched the lives of countless people in our communities. May each person we honour here today serve as an inspiration for others to embrace the spirit and commitment of service,” he added.
The following citations were read for the St. Marys area honourees:
JULIE DOCKER-JOHNSON: Julie lives by the mantra, ‘Better together’. As the community connector of The Local community food centre in Stratford, Julie thrives on helping members of our community connect with the resources they need to improve their life and those around them. Julie has been actively involved and has been a longtime member of the board, and supporter of, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys. More recently, she has played a leading role in supporting the Rotary Hospice of Stratford-Perth and its annual Hike for Hospice. In 2017, Julie co-founded the Giving Tuesday initiative to help not only to raise funds for community projects, but also to foster a greater sense of community and togetherness.
STEWART GRANT: In a constantly evolving digital world, the importance of local journalism is more important than ever. For Stew, that means doing the heavy lifting to ensure the community knows what is happening, from the goings-on at Town Hall to the puck drop at the arena. Stewart is the owner and publisher of various community newspapers, including the St. Marys Independent and the Stratford Times. Through these papers, his hope is to restore small-town journalism which helps connect and promote communities across the region. In addition to journalism, he has been an active volunteer in the community, with the Rotary Club of St. Marys and the St. Marys Lincolns.
CHARLES HAMMOND: Charlie has been a loyal and productive member of the Rotary Club of St. Marys for over 30 years. He has served as President of the Club and has been recognized with the distinction of being a Paul Harris Fellow, a program setup as a legacy for the founder of the Rotary Club. Through the Rotary, he has supported important causes at home and internationally. Charlie has also been active in providing leadership within the St. Marys BIA and promoting the town. Without Charlie, St. Marys might have been a very different place today. He was one of a group of people to successfully bring the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame to St. Marys. He served as a dedicated and respected governor and was a driving force in winning the bid against 13 other locations. He is a dedicated family man and loves serving his community.
MARY MCINTOSH: Mary’s community involvement dates back nearly half a century, when she and her husband John became foster parents for the very first time. Since then, she has shared her time and talent for countless causes and activities, including being a 4-H leader, and being involved with Junior Farmers. She has served as President of the Board of Directors of the Perth County Children’s Aid Society, and the Perth County Federation of Agriculture. She was also a Director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. Mary was the Perth Environmental Farm Coordinator and served as a Downie Ward Councillor for the Township of Perth South.
CAMERON PORTEOUS: Cameron has made an outstanding contribution to the Canadian theatre community. He has worked at various locations, including the Vancouver Playhouse and the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. His career and passion for theatre and arts has taken him across Canada. His work has spanned across Canadian television, film, and the stage over five decades. His imagination has allowed the creativity of Canadian artists to flourish and share their art on all levels, great and small. Locally, we are lucky that he has brought his talents to St. Marys where he serves as the Curator of the St. Marys Station Gallery. Among his own artistic undertakings, he has displayed his own work, The Battle of Queenston Heights, at the Gallery. He was also pivotal in ensuring the exhibits were available on an online platform for everyone to enjoy.
Other Perth-Wellington individuals receiving King Charles III Coronation Medals on Sunday were: Richard Boon, Ruth Kneider, John Miller, and Bernard Van Herk from the City of Stratford; Dianne Josling and Donna Yundt of the Municipality of West Perth; Jean Smelski of the Township of Perth East; Ronald Ellis of the Township of Mapleton; Jack Benham, William Nelson, and Connor Schmidt of the Township of Wellington North; Michael Grosz and Debora Lynne Ritchie of the Municipality of North Perth; and Rose Van Sickle and Belinda Wick-Graham of the Town of Minto.
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