Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe has announced the names of the 21 recipients of King Charles III Coronation Medals in her riding.
The medal is a commemorative honour awarded to Canadians “who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to their community and service to their country,” the MP’s office said in a news release, 30,000 of which have been issued in celebration of the coronation of King Charles III.
MPs received medals to distribute to constituents in their ridings that they deem worthy.
“It is an immense honour to present the King’s Coronation Medal to these remarkable individuals who have dedicated themselves to making our communities a better place,” said Lapointe in a news release. “Their commitment to service, whether through volunteerism, leadership, or advocacy, truly embodies the spirit of our community. They are an inspiration to us all, and this recognition marks our collective appreciation for their important contributions.”
The recipients of the Coronation medal in the Sudbury riding are:
- Martin Bayer (Business and Industry): A lawyer and M’Chigeeng First Nation member who practises is in the areas of Aboriginal Law, Natural Resources General Litigation, Commercial Law, and Alternative Dispute Resolution.
- Dr. Peter Beckett (Environment and Education): A pioneer of Sudbury's regreening journey who spearheaded efforts to combat years of environmental damage, and a professor at Laurentian University for close to 50 years.
- Commander (Ret’d) Gerald Bradley (Veterans and Military): A decorated member of the Canadian Forces who has served under King George, Queen Elizabeth and now King Charles.
- Perry Dellelce (Community Service, Philanthropy and Business): a founder/managing partner of Wildeboer Dellelce, who has made many major donations to hospitals and universities, the Canadian Olympics, Place des Arts, and creator of the Toronto Celebrates Sudbury event, which raises funds for health care in Sudbury.
- Michael DiBrina (Community Service): An entrepreneur who has made several major donations to health-care institutions, including $100,000 to Cambrian College School of Business, $100,000 to St. Josephs Continuing Care Centre, and $1 million to Health Sciences North.
- Clary Gatien (Posthumous, Business and Industry): Founder of PowerTel, a company he started 29 years ago that saw him digging fence posts and ditches, and driving trucks and bulldozers to make it successful.
- Helen Ghent (Arts): A member of the Northeast Cancer Foundation, which raises money for cancer research and services for Northeastern Ontario, and a founding board member of the Sudbury Theatre Centre.
- James Gordon (Community Service): Mayor for 17 years (first of Sudbury and then of Greater Sudbury) and a Conservative MPP who has been involved in several major local projects, playing a key role in establishing Science North, the Northeast Cancer centre and NOSM University (formerly the Northern Ontario School of Medicine).
- Giulio Grossi (Business and Industry): The founder and CEO of Anmar, an industrial construction company of international stature, and head of the Grossi Group of companies which contribute to the economic prosperity of Sudbury and Northern Ontario.
- Paul Henry (Education): A career in public education and former member of the Canadian Forces, he is a lifelong volunteer who has been part of many boards of directors for not-for-profit organizations.
- Darryl Lake (Posthumous, Education and Innovation): An educator at Cambrian College for 35 years and the founder of NORCAT in 1995.
- Sarah Lashbrook (Community Service and Philanthropy): A volunteer with the Sunshine Children’s Foundation (now called simply Shine) for decades and inspired by her own experience after a motor vehicle accident left her paraplegic, she chairs a fundraising not-for-profit committee to provide dreams for disabled and critically ill children and teens
- Geoffrey Lougheed (Community Service and Philanthropy): An active community volunteer and the founder of the Samaritan Centre and Sudbury Food Bank, as well as a long-time board member of the Salvation Army and St. John Ambulance, and past chair of the hospital board of directors.
- Patrick Lyu (Community Service and Philanthropy): Organizer of the Chinese Moon Festival and Chinese New Year celebrations, he has led fundraising efforts during the pandemic, established various sports clubs and promoted cultural exchange, while helping newcomers integrate into the community.
- Sophia Mathur (Environmental Activism): A 17-year-old climate activist who is part of a climate lawsuit against the Ontario government, has addressed Parliament and the U.S. Congress, and is the first Canadian to join the Fridays for Future climate strike movement.
- Dr. Nadia Mykytczuk (Community Service): A leader in the innovation, research and mining sectors, she is CEO and President of MIRARCO, and executive director of the Goodman School of Mines at Laurentian University.
- Paul Pasanen (Inclusion and Diversity): Founder and chair of SQUAD (Sudbury Queers United Around Diversity), which creates safe spaces for the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Sudbury, and works to reduce prejudice of Queer people in Northern Ontario, and program co-ordinator with Réseau ACCESS Network, as well as former co-ordinator of the New Horizons for 2S-LGBTQ+ Older Adults program.
- Toula Sakellaris (Community Service and Philanthropy): A long-time community supporter who recently made major donations to Science North and Maison McCulloch Hospice.
- Dr. Deborah Saunders (Science and Tech, Health Care): Medical director of dental oncology and program lead for the Clinical Tobacco Intervention Program, who also serves on the board for the Northern Ontario Angels representing Medical Tech start-ups, mentors and supervisor researchers.
- Mary Stefura (Posthumous, Community Service and Philanthropy): Awarded an honorary doctorate by Laurentian University in 1993, she devoted six decades of her life to the growth of the cultural and educational assets of the Ukrainian community in Sudbury, and the wider community as well.
- Inspector Jerry Willmott (Emergency Response): With 25 years of service to the Greater Sudbury Police Service, he has been a key figure in solving high-profile cases and bringing justice to the community.