MAPLETON – Mapleton’s senior of the year for 2024 is former longtime councillor Dennis Craven.
He was presented with the award during a Mapleton council meeting on June 11, accompanied by family, including his children and grandchildren.
Craven moved to Moorefield with his wife Elizabeth in 1971, when he worked as a dairy rate-of-production inspector and his wife a teacher at Rothsay school.
From day one, the Cravens found Mapleton to be a “welcoming community,” said councillor Michael Martin, and moving to Moorefield turned out to be one of the best decisions they ever made.
“It’s hard to quantify in a few paragraphs the impact of the work of a lifetime, but it’s easy to say that Dennis has made life better for all the residents that call the Township of Mapleton home,” Martin said.
Craven worked as a volunteer firefighter for almost 30 years and has been involved with sports organizations and the Optimist Club at local, district and international levels.
He also sat on many boards of directors including for the PMD Arena, Crime Stoppers and the Palmerston and District Hospital.
In 1984 Craven ran in his first municipal election (in the former Township of Maryborough) and though he was not elected that year, he ran in every municipal election that followed for almost 40 years.
Craven served on Mapleton council for more than 25 years, leaving in 2022 at 76 years old, in order to spend more time with his family.
When considering running for another term, Craven asked himself “who needs me more the next four years: Mapleton Township or my family? And my family would include, for sure, my daughter and her three kids.”
He said he enjoyed his time on council, offering this advice to future councillors: treat the staff well, “because we have excellent staff.”
While expressing appreciation for the “real honour” of receiving the senior of the year award, Craven thanked present and former Mapleton staff and councillors, “but especially [his] family.”
“I spent a lot of days, a lot of nights, and a lot of weekends away from home … but they were very good – supported me all the way through, and I thank you for that,” he said, before proudly introducing his children and grandchildren.
Martin said Craven’s “thoughtful and patient demeanour” was a real asset to Mapleton council, adding, “I certainly learned a lot from you.”
