TIMMINS - As guests and honourees arrived at the Timmins Museum Friday morning, many had no idea why they were there.
Six volunteers were there to receive the King Charles III coronation medals for their community service.
MPP-elect George Pirie presented the medals to Jim Andrews, Rick Young, Karl Habla, Colleen Landers, Estela Chow, and Patrick Chilton.
The coronation medal recognizes those who have used their skills and talents to contribute to Canada and their community, either at home or abroad. All of the names put forward in Timmins were selected to receive the honour.
Landers said she hadn’t been sure why the organizers were so insistent that she be at the event.
“I’m shocked,” she said. “I volunteer a lot in the community because I believe we have to give back.”
Landers is the president of Sports for Kids Timmins, formerly Kids Sports. She helped found the organization, which has provided almost $850,000 in funding to help children to participate in sports.
She described volunteering as a family tradition.
“I’m honoured, but I believe everyone needs to give back to the community,” she said. “My mom and dad taught me that you don’t get paid for everything, and if citizens don’t give back and help the community, then we won’t be able to do what we need to do.”
Chilton, whose work with Five Nations Energy involved building high-voltage transmission lines up the James Bay coast, said receiving the medal was a “humbling” surprise.
“It’s very unexpected,” he said.
Pirie praised the diverse contributions of the honourees, highlighting the inspiration drawn from their varied work in the community.
“All of the service gets done over decades, and it gets done silently,” he said.
Pirie added that it’s a privilege to recognize those who make these silent contributions.
“It’s a humbling experience for me to stand here today and acknowledge these works,” he said. “Certainly, everybody here is more than due for this acknowledgement.”