Alma resident Jim de Bock was recognized at the Mapleton Township council meeting on Jan. 23.
One of 11 Ontarians to receive the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship in a ceremony in Toronto on Jan. 17, de Bock was nominated for the honour by council.
“You can’t really say Alma without having a picture of, or seeing Jim around,” said Mayor Neil Driscoll, adding it’s “great” to see de Bock receive recognition “for all of the time you’ve given to your community.”
Over the past four decades, de Bock’s long list of volunteer efforts – a majority facilitated through the Alma Optimist Club – have included: Breakfast on the Farm, the local swim program, Winterfest, Tin Can Curling, T-ball, bike rodeo, Plunger Toss, DARE program, Roadkill Race, beef barbecue, rink building and Alma Environment Fair.
Councillor Dennis Craven commented that many members of de Bock’s present and past ball teams “still call you ‘Coach Jim’”
“I don’t have a last name,” de Bock quipped.
Quoting from the township’s submission nominating de Bock for the medal, councillor Lori Woodham stated, “We believe it takes a special person to be a champion, who is creative, enthusiastic, charismatic, to motivate and engage others to join in. This is exactly how we would describe Coach Jim.”
De Bock said, “To everything I’ve been involved in, I try to give as much respect and energy as I possibly can.
“You’ve given me respect and I want to show you respect.
“Now I’m under even more pressure to do even better next year. So thanks a lot,” he added, drawing a laugh from those in attendance.
Driscoll noted de Bock is the second Mapleton resident to receive the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship.
The late Jean Campbell, a longtime volunteer for numerous community organizations, received the medal posthumously in 2016.
