Leadership Development and Recognition
7,070 youth participate in YMCA leadership
programs from coast to coast
With the YMCA's mission dedicated to personal growth, the YMCA
has been providing leadership training for more than a century.
Kids - having self-esteem and believing in one's self is
the first step to becoming a leader and is part of all YMCA
activities and programs
Youth - YMCA Youth Leadership programs give youth the
chance to take the lead in organizing service projects or working
on specific initiatives such as peace building, the environment or
any number of things. They also learn to work in team settings with
peers and adults. Many different youth leadership programs are
offered in both YMCA centres and at residential camps
Adults - there are many different ways for people
to take on leadership roles at the YMCA. Volunteers can serve on
Association Boards, become YMCA trained to teach fitness classes,
help out with fundraising, run special events, deliver children and
youth programs, mentor and more
YMCA Fellowship of Honour
The YMCA Fellowship of Honour is the highest honour and most
valued award in the YMCA in Canada. It recognizes the outstanding
YMCA volunteers and staff who give tremendous leadership while
strengthening and expanding the capacity of the YMCA in Canada.
Regardless of age or level within the association, all YMCA staff
and volunteers are eligible.
Since 1978, 98 exceptional and distinguished volunteers and
staff have been recognized in one of two categories: A
Companion Award recognizes
outstanding national and international leadership and an
Officer Award acknowledges local or regional
leadership contributions. The induction of YMCA leaders takes place
every three to four years.
2009 Ceremony
At the most recent investiture ceremony held on January 27,
2009, Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada,
personally appointed and congratulated the eight recipients shown
below.
To find out about these remarkable individuals, click on their
names below.
Back row (left to right):
Wayne Perkins, President & CEO, YMCA Canada
Recipient Gavin
Hume, Greater Vancouver, BC (Officer)
Marty Reynolds, National Board Chair
Recipient Rich
Bailey, Greater Toronto, ON (Companion)
Recipient William
(Bill) Gallaway, Niagara, ON (Officer)
Recipient Ralph
Connor, Hamilton/Burlington, ON (Officer)
Recipient Lorne
Larson, Calgary, AB (Officer)
Victor Drury, Chair, Fellowship of Honour Advisory Council
Recipient Don
McCuaig, Kingston, ON (Companion)
Front row (left to right):
Recipient Mollie
Cartmell, Peterborough (Officer)
The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of
Canada
Recipient Gordon
Saunders, Sault Ste. Marie (Officer)
All recipients of the YMCA Fellowship of Honour
Since 1981, 98 individuals from all across Canada have been
appointed to the YMCA Fellowship of Honour. These leaders have
passed on a legacy of caring from one generation to the next, and
have inspired civic responsibility in others. We applaud and thank
all the award recipients for their
generous contribution to building strong kids, strong families and
strong communities.
Recipients of
the YMCA Fellowship of Honour
1981
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Edward
Schreyer, Governor General of Canada
| A. Gordon Archibald (Volunteer) - Halifax,
NS |
Officer |
| W. Harold Rea (Volunteer) - Oakville, ON |
Companion |
| W. Cecil Wakely (Volunteer) - Ganges, BC |
Officer |
| Charles M. Willoughby (Volunteer) - London, ON |
Officer |
1982
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Edward
Schreyer, Governor General of Canada
Nathan S. Bain (Volunteer) - Yarmouth,
NS
|
Officer |
| Kenneth W. Lemon (Volunteer) - London, ON |
Officer |
| J. Wesley McVicar (Volunteer) - Victoria, BC |
Companion |
| James W. Patterson (Staff) - Willowdale, ON |
Officer |
| Niels F. Petersen (Volunteer) - Toronto, ON |
Companion |
1983
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Edward
Schreyer, Governor General of Canada
| Raymond E. Fairbairn (Staff) - Vancouver,
BC |
Companion |
| William Hogg (Volunteer) - Sault Ste. Marie, ON |
Officer |
William H. Kaufman (Volunteer) - Kitchener, ON
|
Officer |
| Bruce A. MacDougall (Volunteer) - Willowdale, ON |
Companion |
| John M. Magwood (Volunteer) - Toronto, ON |
Companion |
| Howard P. Miller (Volunteer) - Calgary, AB |
Companion |
| Donald H. Reed (Volunteer) - New Westminister, BC |
Officer |
| J. Hiles Templin (Volunteer) - Burlington, ON |
Companion |
1984
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Jeanne
Sauvé, Governor General of Canada
| John J. Carson (Volunteer) - Ottawa, ON |
Companion |
| Joseph O. Connell (Volunteer) - Waterloo, ON |
Officer |
| Henry F. Davis (Volunteer) - Ottawa, ON |
Companion |
| John J. Halcrow (Staff) - London, ON |
Officer |
| Edgar A. Kidd (Volunteer) - Regina Beach, SK |
Officer |
| Donald McGregor (Staff) - Toronto, ON |
Companion |
| Walter H. Prince (Volunteer) - Windsor, ON |
Officer |
1986
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Jeanne
Sauvé, Governor General of Canada
| A. Raynell Andreychuk (Volunteer) - Regina,
SK |
Companion |
| A. Malcolm Craig (Volunteer) - Vancouver, BC |
Companion |
| John H. Dunderdale (Staff) - Vancouver, BC |
Companion |
| C. Hamilton Gosse (Staff) - Regina, SK |
Companion |
| Charles E. Greb (Volunteer) - Kitchener, ON |
Companion |
| Jack W. Gross (Volunteer) - Hamilton, ON |
Officer |
Frances Nichols (Volunteer) - Grand Falls
- Windsor, NF |
Officer |
| Clark Ready (Staff) - St. Mary's, ON |
Officer |
| W. Struan Robertson (Volunteer) - Halifax, NS |
Officer |
| Murray H. Sargeant (Volunteer) - Fredericton, NB |
Officer |
| Clarke Simpkins (Volunteer) - Vancouver, BC |
Officer |
| George M. Singleton (Staff) - Edmonton, AB |
Companion |
1989
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Jeanne
Sauvé, Governor General of Canada
| Edwin S. Cook (Volunteer) - Edmonton, AB |
Companion |
| Donald Curtis (Volunteer) - Peterborough, ON |
Officer |
| John D. Evans (Staff) - Charlottetown, PEI |
Officer |
| Donald G. Lawson (Volunteer) - Toronto, ON |
Officer |
| Margaret Lucas (Volunteer) - Winnipeg, MA |
Officer |
| Hugh B. Main (Volunteer) - Vancouver, BC |
Officer |
| David M. Nicolson (Staff) - Orillia, ON |
Officer |
| Rix G. Rogers (Staff) - Oakville, ON |
Companion |
| Grahame Watt (Staff) - Vancouver, BC |
Officer |
1991
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Ramon
John Hnatyshyn, Governor General of Canada
| Anne Bouey (Volunteer) - Ottawa, ON |
Officer |
| E. J. Ron Boulter (Volunteer) - Vancouver, BC |
Officer |
| Jean L. Bruneau (Volunteer) - St. John's, NF |
Companion |
| Norman E. Byrne (Volunteer) - Hamilton, ON |
Officer |
| Victor M. Drury (Volunteer)- Montreal, PQ |
Companion |
| Maurice Massé (Volunteer) - Montreal, PQ |
Officer |
| Kenneth G. Miller (Volunteer) - Sault Ste. Marie, ON |
Officer |
| Donald C. Phalen (Staff) - Winnipeg, MB |
Officer |
| William H. Skinner (Staff) - Victoria, BC |
Companion |
1993
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Ramon
John Hnatyshyn, Governor General of Canada
| Hon. Alan R. Abraham (Volunteer) - Halifax,
NS |
Officer |
| Louis P. Bonnenfant (Staff) - Ottawa, ON |
Officer |
| H. Reuben Cohen (Volunteer). - Moncton, NB |
Officer |
| David L. Fraser (Volunteer) - Winnipeg, MB |
Companion |
| R. Arnot McGregor (Volunteer) - Regina, SK |
Officer |
| John O. Pollock (Staff) - Toronto, ON |
Companion |
| Grace Schultz (Staff) - Sarnia, ON |
Officer |
| Robert J. Torrance (Staff) - Queenston, ON |
Companion |
1995
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Roméo
LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada
| James Gray (Volunteer) - Calgary, AB |
Officer |
| Hamer Guest (Volunteer) - St. Catharines, ON |
Officer |
| D. Mary Hackett (Staff) - Ottawa, ON |
Companion |
| Anne Hillstrom (Staff) - Sault Ste. Marie, ON |
Officer |
| Shirley Main (Staff) - Victoria, BC |
Officer |
| Bill Naylor (Staff) - Toronto, ON |
Companion |
| William Rees (Volunteer) - Edmonton, AB |
Officer |
1998
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Roméo
LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada
| Russell E. Davey (Staff) - Orillia, ON |
Companion |
| Rowland V. Hastings (Volunteer) - Vancouver, BC |
Companion |
| Douglas S. Kirk (Volunteer) - Peterborough, ON |
Officer |
| Henry J. D. Labatte (Staff) - Toronto, ON |
Companion |
| William L. Ridley (Volunteer) - Montreal, PQ |
Officer |
| Harold B. Studholme (Staff) - Winnipeg, MB |
Officer |
2001
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable Adrienne
Clarkson, Governor General of Canada
| Mahmoud Ali (Volunteer) -
Hamilton/Burlington, ON |
Officer |
| Marcel Côté (Volunteer) - Montreal, PQ |
Officer |
| Anne Fawcett (Volunteer) - Toronto, ON |
Officer |
| Robbert Hartog (Volunteer) - Midland, ON |
Companion |
| Bill Owen (Staff) - Vancouver, BC |
Officer |
| Barry Sutton (Volunteer) - Vancouver, BC |
Officer |
| James G. Westaway (Volunteer) - Toronto, ON |
Companion |
2005
Shirley Maheu, Deputy Speaker of the Senate of Canada
| Bette Black (Volunteer) - Winnipeg, MB |
Companion |
| James Chaplin (Volunteer) - Cambridge, ON |
Officer |
| Les Chater (Volunteer) - Hamilton, ON |
Officer |
| Al Lennox (Volunteer) - Calgary, AB |
Officer |
| John Lindsay Sr. (Volunteer) - Halifax, NS |
Officer |
| August Sunnen (Volunteer) - Chatham, ON |
Officer |
| Allyn Taylor (Volunteer) - London, ON |
Officer |
| Wenda Yenson (Volunteer) - Toronto, ON |
Companion |
2009
Under the Vice-regal Patronage of the Right Honourable
Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada
| Rich Bailey (Staff) - Greater Toronto,
ON |
Companion |
| Mollie Cartmell (Volunteer) - Peterborough, ON |
Officer |
| Ralph Connor (Volunteer) - Hamilton, ON |
Officer |
| William (Bill) Gallaway (Volunteer) - Niagara, ON |
Officer |
| Gavin Hume (Volunteer) - Greater Vancouver, ON |
Officer |
| Lorne Larson (Volunteer) - Calgary, AB |
Officer |
| Don McCuaig (Staff) - Kingston, ON |
Companion |
| Gordon Saunders (Staff) - Sault Ste. Marie, ON |
Officer |
Nominating YMCA Volunteers and Staff
YMCA Canada issues a call for nominations on this Web site and
through local YMCAs and YMCA-YWCAs every three to four years. Our
next event will be in 2011 or 2012. Check back here or with your
local association closer to these event times.
We are currently revising our nomination criteria, guidelines
and form. These will be posted well before our next call for
nominations.
For more information about the YMCA Fellowship of Honour, please
contact YMCA Canada by e-mailing
us or by phone: (416) 967-9622.
