John Dale is Mount Forest’s Senior Citizen of the Year.
He was presented with a certificate and bouquet of flowers following a dinner on June 26 at the Birmingham Retirement Community (BRC), which has sponsored the contest for the past five years.
Nominated for the award this year along with Dale were Sandy Rawn, Evelyn Collins, Pauline Brown and BRC residents Colleen Drier and Georgina White.
They all attended the dinner, along with nominators and invited guests.
“This evening is our special way to honour you in all your endless endeavours to help your neighbour, a residence community, the hospital, the church and all the public spaces where two or three gather to meet,” said Maija McCahery, emcee and BRC retirement counsellor.
McCahery thanked those who took the time to nominate someone for the award and said because of the support of the community, “we can look forward to this continuing tradition” of BRC hosting the awards dinner and ceremony.
Following dinner, served by McCahery and BRC activities director Cheryl Cox, the nominees were introduced with a brief synopsis of their volunteer efforts over the years.
Cox explained that five years ago BRC residents were the judges of the Senior Citizen of the Year contest.
“And then our residents started being nominated,” she said.
This year five people of various ages were asked to judge and given the information about all six nominees, anonymously.
Cox said it gave her great pleasure to announce John Dale as the winner because, in addition to being a great volunteer, he is her stepdad.
Dale is very involved with North Wellington Health Care and the Louise Marshall Hospital. He has volunteered a minimum of 20 hours a month for the past four years at the hospital, in the gift shop and medical imaging.
He is vice chair of the hospital auxiliary and serves as liaison between the auxiliary and hospital foundation.
Dale is also actively involved with the Wellington Health Care Alliance Patient and Family Advisory Council.
He is past president of Lions Clubs in both Harriston and Hanover, vice chair of the Participation Lodge Board of Directors in Holland Center, a 28-person community for special needs adults, and is an usher at the Mount Forest United Church.
Councillor Lisa Hern brought greetings and “a huge thank you” from the Township of Wellington North. She congratulated Dale and each nominee.
“I don’t know where we’d be without you,” Hern said.
