Fire chief honoured.
Parry Sound Mayor Jamie McGarvey, left, and Parry Sound Fire Chief Laurence Green.
Stephannie Johnson/Beacon Star
PARRY SOUND – Uniformed men and women of the Parry Sound Fire Department came out to council Tuesday to honour one of their own.
In a special presentation prior to the council meeting, Parry Sound Mayor Jamie McGarvey presented Fire Chief Laurence Green with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
The medal was created to mark the 2012 celebration of the 60th anniversary of the queen being on the throne. More than 60,000 Canadians will be recognized this year.
Green was nominated by town emergency services administrative assistant Sheri Skinner and McDougall Fire Chief Brian Leduc.
Chief since 2002, Green was honoured for his extensive volunteer work with organizations such as the Shrine Club as well as being a member of the volunteer fire service for more than 30 years.
Accepting the medal amid cheers from council, the public and members of the fire department, Green thanked his wife Bonnie and two children, Todd and Angela, “For all the time that they allowed me to donate and dedicate to the volunteer fire service for our communities. Actually, the time that I put in was there time. I would like to thank them for allowing me to do that.”
He also thanked the Parry Sound firefighters for nominating him for the award.
“I really appreciate it. I consider myself very fortunate to be a part of your brotherhood and sisterhood,” he said. “I’d like to accept this on behalf of all the volunteer firefighters in Ontario. Working from border to border from the Great Lakes to Hudson Bay, I have met a lot of dedicated volunteers in the volunteer fire service in the some 30 years that I have been in the fire service. They all deserve an award like this, for the time that they put in.”
McGarvey said he was honoured to present Green with such a prestigious medal.
“Laurence had chosen to be given the medal in Parry Sound,” said McGarvey Wednesday afternoon. “So that his colleagues, friends and family could be a part of him being presented the medal. Of course, it was an honour on my part to be able to do it, and certainly he’s well deserving of it.”