Honouring senior Islanders
Five outstanding residents of P.E.I. receive awards at Charlottetown ceremony
Five Islanders received the Senior Islander of the Year award at the Rodd Charlottetown on Monday.
The awards recognized their various outstanding contributions to communities all over P.E.I.
The recipients were Vance Bridges, Summerside, Evelyn MacLure, Charlottetown, Mary Ann Nelligan, Tignish, Jack Sorensen, Tryon and Chris Wells, Charlottetown.
Paul H. Schurman, chairman of the P.E.I. Seniors’ Secretariat, was pleased to honour these seniors who help improve our Island communities. “These awards recognize the valuable role that Island seniors make in enhancing our way of life.”
Bridges is an active community volunteer, supporting Meals on Wheels, the Red Cross, the College of Piping as a past-president and the Salvation Army.
He says he was honoured and thrilled with the award.
“It’s a wonderful recognition. I think most people know more about me now than I can remember. I’m not taking anything for granted. It’s really very kind, and I just totally appreciate it.”
Sorensen has special skills and ability in recognizing historical events. He was instrumental in organizing the 250th anniversary of Captain Samuel Holland’s survey of P.E.I. and Canada 150: The life and contributions of Mr. Edward Sharkey. He says receiving the award was hard to put into words.
“I feel maybe I’ve done things with the help of other people, and they deserve to be honoured as well. You can’t do things on your own.” Nelligan, a community leader and activist, was inspired by her own family experience by creating her community’s Alzheimer’s support group. She has remained a positive role model through challenges of her own during difficult and challenging times by being a caregiver to her own husband.
Nelligan says it was a great honour to be with all these important people.
“I haven’t accomplished what the others have. I have to enjoy what I did and be grateful for what I can do. I just do the best I can.”
MacLure is an active volunteer with several community organizations including the Canadian Cancer Society, Special Olympics and offers a special outreach to the guests of the Salvation Army. Wells has been a volunteer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital since 2003, providing nearly 2,500 hours of volunteer service to patients and their families. Every Monday, he helps to make patients comfortable during their treatments.