Forty Years of Search and Rescue
Pugwash Ground Search and Rescue honoured four members, one posthumously, at its 40th anniversary tonight. In fact, the four served as founding members when the organization began.
Albert Chapman, Jim Kaluza, Jim Wills, and Jim Pye were founding members who were instrumental in building the local rescue team into a highly respected emergency service known throughout Cumberland and Colchester counties.
Each received a plaque, 40-year pin, and medal from the Search and Rescue Volunteers Association of Canada (SARVAC), the national body representing such volunteer services.
The photo shows L to R: Jim Wills, Jim Kaluza, Panzy Pye (representing her late husband Jim), and Albert Chapman.
The MLA for Cumberland North paid tribute to all the volunteers, expressing deep appreciation on behalf of the community and the province. Elizabeth Smith McCrossin said, “You are stepping up to the plate and you’re volunteering to be that support for those family members and those community members in their time of crisis and their time of panic.”
Mike Johnson, the Emergency Measures Coordinator for the Municipality of Cumberland, assisted the MLA in presenting the honours.
Johnson is no stranger to an emergency scene. He noted the pain and suffering that can come from an emergency search scene, but he added, “I have been part of searches where things went very well and the happiness and the joy that the parents, family, and friends bestow upon all of you for the work that you do.”
A 15-year award was presented to Bill O’Neil.
Six members received 10-year pins, including: John Kaluza, Duncan Carter, Judy Carter, Wayne Jackson, Richard White, and David Van de Weil.
Eleven others were recognized for five years of service. They included: Tammy Casey, Denise Demone, Greg Gordon, Betty Hodgson, Jozi Kouwenberg, Dwayne Mattinson, Greg Nix, Theresa Rushton, Peter Smith, Shannon Smith, and Louise Vanthielen.
In an unexpected moment, Bonnie Langill presented a certificate in appreciation from the Sunset Community.
Langille, the Director of Volunteer Services, traced her connection with GSAR back to her student beginnings at Sunset. She credited, “Jim, Jim, Jim, and Albert,” for helping Sunset over the years.
Langille also noted the volunteer organization was always behind the scenes at every festival and event. She said, “You were there on the gates. You were there doing traffic control. The fact of the matter is, this entire community couldn’t have any of those things without this organization.”
Langille capped off her thoughts saying what others were feeling, “There is no way we can ever put to words enough, how much we appreciate you.”
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