More than 110 community leaders, volunteers and business people gathered at Béatrice-Desloges high school on Oct. 1 to join a select group of Canadians who have been chosen to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Award.

The award ceremony was hosted by Orléans MP Marie-France Lalonde and Brigadier-General Nicolas Pilon.

Recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Award pose for a group picture in the theatre at École secondaire Béatrice-Desloges on Saturday, Oct. 1. MARGARET SHERWIN PHOTO

The recipients were all nominated last spring at the height of the jubilee celebrations. The Queen’s passing on Sept. 8 made the award ceremony extremely poignant and extra special for most, if not all.

Zybina Richards received her award for her many years of community service as the president of the Fallingbrook Community Association and for helping to organize the annual Canada Day celebration on Petrie Island as a member of the Kiwanis East Ottawa Est along with fellow award recipients Loretta Chow and Harley Bloom.

After receiving her Platinum Jubilee pin and certificate, Richards said she felt both honoured and humbled to even be nominated.

“It is indeed quite special to receive this award. It is not something I ever expected,” said Richard. “I do what I do to give back to a community that has treated me with profond love, respect and inclusiveness.”

The award was extra special to Richards who always had a warm spot in her heart for the Queen ever since she was a little girl growing up in her native Guyana, which is part of the British Commonwealth.

“It is indeed quite special. Her passing was quite emotional and I’ve always had the upmost respect and admiration for her,” said Richards.

Multi-sport blind-deaf athlete Kevin Frost was also among the recipients. He was nominated for the award for his success as a golfer, cyclist and speedskater, and for being an inspiration to others with physical challenges.

Frost had to recently return his guide dog, Lewis, to Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind after Lewis was diagnosed with kidney disease, so getting the award and being recognized for his service to the community was a welcome honour.

More recently he has been working on a book entitled “Deaf Blind Champion” which will soon be available on Amazon.

“It’s showing me that everything I’ve done in persevering and pushing through all the barriers I’ve faced is being recognized by others. And it’s not only me,” said Frost. “We all can do it. All disabled people can do it, if you put your mind to it, we all can achieve what we want. You just can never give up.”

Among the many other recipients were a number of volunteers and executive members from the Orléans Legion; community assotiation leaders from Cardinal Creek, Bradley Estates, Convent Glen and Orléans Wood, Portobello, and Blackburn Hamlet; leaders from community organizes and service clubs such as the Société franco-ontarienne du patrimoine et de l’histoire d’Orléans (SFOPHO), the Rendez-vous des aînés francophones d’Ottawa (RAFO), the Knights of Columbus, the Orléans Lions Club, the Rotary Club of Orléans, the Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre and the Community Compassion Centre Food Bank.

Gabriels retaurant founder Mike Hanna received the award for his philanthropic endeavours. Olympian Ivanie Blondin also received the award, as did Heart of Orléans executive director Tanis Vine and Louis and Nicole Patry who list of contributions to the community include the establishment of SFOPHO and the L’Orléanais newspaper.