Seven Bay of Quinte residents receive King Charles III Coronation Medals

21 March 2025

BAY OF QUINTE – On behalf of the Governor General of Canada and the Premier of Ontario, Tyler Allsopp, MPP for Bay of Quinte, presented the King Charles III Coronation Medal to seven local community leaders this morning.

Leading up to the King’s coronation in May 2023, a historic event that was the first of its kind in nearly 70 years, the Canadian government commissioned the medals to those “who have made significant contributions to the country, a province, territory, region or community” and announced its intention to award 30,000 medals as a tangible way to recognize outstanding individuals from all walks of life.

“It was my distinct honour and pleasure today to award seven King Charles III Coronation Medals to very deserving members of our community who volunteer across the area and really make this community what it is,” said Allsopp. “This is something very special to me. I wish I had more to give out. We have so many great deserving people in our community, but I think the people who were selected really represent the best qualities of volunteers in the area and are well distributed in the area as well, touching every part of the Bay of Quinte.”

In addition to five nominees that were allocated by the Province, MPP Allsopp was pleased to present to two nominees selected by the Volunteer and Information Centre for Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.

“I think Brenda Snider having been here and presenting two medals herself, that was a very special addition to the ceremony, and we were happy to facilitate that,” Allsopp said.

The honoured recipients (with their citations) are as follows:

  • Aruna Alexander (Belleville, Ontario) – A founding member of the Quinte branch of the United Nations Association in Canada and a Reverend Doctor within the United Church, Aruna has been a leading advocate for the promotion of diversity and inclusion within her community.

                                                                                                                     Nominated by Tyler Allsopp, MPP

  • John McDonald (Quinte West, Ontario) – John has been involved in hockey for over 40 years. His leadership made the Trenton Golden Hawks a model Junior A organization, winning championships and building strong ties with the Quinte West community, CFB Trenton, and local charities.

                                                                                                                     Nominated by Tyler Allsopp, MPP

  • Sheri Meeks (Belleville, Ontario) – A well-respected member of the Belleville Police Service, Deputy Chief Meeks also has a strong track record of giving to her community as a volunteer or board member with 25 organizations, many supporting children and those living with disabilities.

                                                                                                                     Nominated by Tyler Allsopp, MPP

  • Nancy Parks (Prince Edward County, Ontario) – Nancy was a key figure in opening a residential hospice in 2013 and has chaired the Back the Build Campaign, which raised over $23 million for a new hospital in Picton. She has been an avid volunteer for minor sports, PEC Syria, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

                                                                                                                     Nominated by Tyler Allsopp, MPP

  • Pat Simard (Quinte West, Ontario) – Pat has been volunteering throughout the region for over 10 years and is a hands-on worker always willing to support team successes. Among his many roles, Pat supports the United Way, the Community Development Council, the YMCA, local hospitals the Children’s Foundation and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

                                                                                      Nominated by Volunteer & Information Centre HPE

  • Darrell Smith (Belleville, Ontario) – For over 25 years, Darrell has been providing leadership in volunteer roles in Quinte. He is a past Volunteer and Information Quinte board chair and past president of the Belleville Rotary Club. He was named a Guardian Angel by The Children’s Foundation and has actively served local hospital foundations.

                                                                                        Nominated by Volunteer & Information Centre HPE

  • Terry Sprague (Prince Edward County, Ontario) – Terry is a well-regarded naturalist and author from Prince Edward County who has broadly educated his community through work at Sandbanks Provincial Park, over 50 years of columns in The Picton Gazette and The Napanee Beaver, and on guided tours.

                                                                                                            Nominated by Tyler Allsopp, MPP

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE

Learn more about the King Charles III Coronation Medal – King Charles III Coronation Medal | The Governor General of Canada