Eric Bunnell's People: 'A much richer place'

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One helped his community realize a long-held dream.

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Mohammed Mahboob Khan worked to open the St. Thomas Islamic Centre, fulfilling the wish of local members of the Islamic community for a St. Thomas mosque.

One cares for those who are uncared for.

Ginny Trepanier is the driving force behind Grace Café, the downtown St. Thomas soup kitchen that daily feeds and comforts less fortunate residents of the city.

One rolled up his sleeves for others who rolled up theirs.

Even as a sitting member of the Ontario legislature, former Elgin–Middlesex–London Tory MPP Jeff Yurek, a professional pharmacist, volunteered to administer COVID-19 vaccines at public health clinic.

One promotes health for those who don’t have that choice.

Ethel De La Penotiere actively campaigns for awareness of fetal alcohol syndrome, which the City of St. Thomas annually recognizes with a flag-raising.

They, and 66 other residents of Elgin–Middlesex–London, have been honoured on occasion of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – 70 persons, in all, for the Queen’s 70 years on her Canadian throne.

Although, to its inexplicable shame, the federal government ignored past precedent and did not issue a Platinum Jubilee Medal, Elgin–Middlesex–LondonTory MP Karen Vecchio was one of a number of her colleagues who called on the community to nominate those “who have demonstrated their commitment to our community, are an outstanding volunteer or have achieved an extraordinary accomplishment.”

Hundreds of names were submitted and, Karen said, choosing honourees was a daunting task.

“Our riding is a much richer place with citizens like our recipients,” she is quoted.

They were feted at a reception June 24 at the Canada Southern railway station, receiving Jubilee pins from Heritage Canada and commemorative plaques.

“I am honoured to bring joy and recognition to 70 individuals who are unsung heroes in our community,” Karen is quoted. She was joined at the reception by newly elected Elgin–Middlesex–London Tory MPP Rob Flack.

“As MP, I am grateful to represent and collaborate with so many selfless and tireless advocates who make Elgin–Middlesex–London a better place for all of us to live and work.”

And here is who they are:

• Trevor Armstrong, Malahide, Health Wellness, Activity & Sport;
• Elfriede Atcheson, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Tony Bendel, St. Thomas, Community Commitment:
• Richard Brayton, West Elgin, Community Commitment;
• The Late Elaine Brown, Dutton-Dunwich, Community Commitment;
• Ross Burgar, Southwold, Heritage;
• Grace Campbell, Dutton-Dunwich, Community Commitment;
• Dustin Carter, London, COVID-19 Pandemic Response;
• Perry & Mary Clutterbuck, Southwold, Heritage;
• Sarah Coleman, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Kathy Collier, Central Elgin, Community Commitment;
• Jim & Jacintha Collins, Community Commitment;
• Jack Couckuyt, Aylmer, Community Commitment;
• Jean Davis, Thames Centre, Community Commitment;
• Rhonda & Deryl Dawdy, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Ethel DelaPenetiere, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Gail Dimson, London, Community Commitment;
• Garry Dodman, London, Community Commitment;
• James Dunn, Dutton-Dunwich, Health Wellness, Activity & Sport;
• Lloyd Elliott, Thames Centre, Community Commitment;
• Geoff Faul, London, Community Commitment;
• Raymond & Beverly Filewood, Central Elgin, Community Commitment;
• Lori Fitzgerald, Central Elgin, Community Commitment;
• Kelly Tallon Franklin, Malahide, Community Commitment;
• William Gheysen, Bayham, Community Commitment;
• Sharon Gilchrist, West Elgin, Community Commitment;
• Christina Hoffer, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Peter Inch, London, Community Commitment;
• Ronald Jewell, St. Thomas, Community Commitment,  Veterans’ Services;
• Lillian Johnston, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Trudy Kanellis, Southwold, Community Commitment;
• Mohammed Mahboob Khan, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• John Laverty, St. Thomas, COVID-19 Pandemic Response;
• Serge Lavoie, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Judith Lawlor, Thames Centre, Health Wellness, Activity & Sport;
• The Late Kristin Legault, Southwold, Health Wellness, Activity & Sport;
• Gord & Brenda Longhurst, Southwold, Community Commitment;
• Donna Lunn, Malahide, Community Commitment;
• Leonard Lynch, Southwold, Community Commitment;
• Debbie Marlatt, Bayham, Community Commitment;
• Alan Marr, Thames Centre, Community Commitment;
• Jim Maudsley, Thames Centre, Community Commitment;
• Tara McCaulley, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Paul McClenaghan, Central Elgin, Community Commitment;
• Liz McConnell, Malahide, Community Commitment;
• Karen McDade, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Isabel McNiece, Aylmer, Health Wellness, Activity & Sport;
• Gordie Michie, St. Thomas, Health Wellness, Activity & Sport;
• Diane Mott, Aylmer, Community Commitment;
• Arthur Oslach, Aylmer, Community Commitment;
• Bhavin Patel, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Ron Patterson, Thames Centre, Community Commitment;
• Fran Redman, Thames Centre, Community Commitment;
• Linda Rokeby, Central Elgin, Community Commitment;
• Maggie Scanlon, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Larry Schneider, West Elgin, Community Commitment;
• Richard Sitzes, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Heather Tales, Central Elgin, Health Wellness, Activity & Sport;
• Dale Taylor, London, Community Commitment;
• Earl Taylor, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Anna Tokarz, Dutton-Dunwich, Community Commitment;
• Jeffrey Topping, London, Community Commitment;
• Ginny Trepanier, St. Thomas, Community Commitment;
• Penny Wearne, Thames Centre, Arts & Culture;
• Rainey Weisler, Bayham, Community Commitment;
• Martin Withenshaw, London, Community Commitment;
• Carrie Woolley, Central Elgin, Community Commitment;
• Cindy Yates, St. Thomas, Community Commitment — Veteran;
• Jeff Yurek, Central Elgin, COVID-19 Pandemic Response.

Missing a ‘golden opportunity’

A number of provinces – though not Ontario – decided to issue Jubilee medals, all the same.

Ottawa’s decision to forgo a federal honour disappointed Michael Jackson, president of the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada, who told CBC he sees such medals as part of a well-established tradition of Canadian honours and as a way to acknowledge the achievements of ordinary Canadians.

“They recognize citizens, grassroots … not just the big shots,” he is quoted.

“They are (a) golden opportunity for our country through the sovereign to recognize the unsung heroes and heroines,” he added, and this year could “recognize all those people, paid and unpaid, emergency responders, doctors, medical officers, nurses, clinics, everybody who worked so hard to get us through the pandemic.”

A Jumbo tribute

Though he was killed almost 140 years ago in St. Thomas, the spirit of Jumbo lives on in the first-ever public art commission by the Art Gallery of Ontario – a massive bronze sculpture of a circus elephant cast from used leather furniture(!).

Called Couch Monster, the four-metre-tall piece is the work of award-winning Indigenous artist Brian Jungen, who is quoted in the prints saying he identifies with Jumbo as “something that’s kind of forced to perform.”

Jungen told the Globe of his sculpture depicting an elephant balancing on a circus ball, and subtitled in Dane-zaa (which is the artist’s heritage) as My Heart is Ripping: “I thought, that poor creature was here in Canada, so far away from its indigenous homeland.”

The AGO calls the piece, installed on a downtown Toronto corner of the art gallery’s campus where a popular Henry Moore sculpture once stood, “a poetic tribute to the plight of creatures in captivity.”

There you have it!

Music for Peace

About 75 people attended a musical evening June 29 at Trinity Anglican Church in Aylmer that featured the St. Francis Trio – Tyson Moxley, violin; John Wolsley, cello; and Wayne Carroll, piano and harpsichord.

And the Music for Peace concert sponsored by the church as part of its community outreach raised $1,000 for Ukrainian relief.

Hamming it up

Forgoing a night’s sleep, four Elgin Amateur Radio Society operators completed 152 contacts with other amateur radio enthusiasts throughout North America during a 24-hour emergency exercise June 25-26.

Set up at the Keystone Complex in Shedden, they reached out via Morse code, digital and voice to test their ability to provide communications support to emergency services in case worse comes to worst.

Stay well.

ericbunnellspeople@gmail.com