History magnate South Glengarry’s Citizen of the Year

WILLIAMSTOWN – “Who does not love to be loved?”

Those words from a humbled David Anderson as he received the 2014 South Glengarry Citizen of the Year Award.

The local historian, who lives and curates at the Bethune-Thompson House in Williamstown, was among the township’s best and brightest recognized Saturday night at the 10th annual Community and Business Awards Gala Dinner.

The ritzy affair was held for the first time at the newly-renovated upstairs room of the Char-Lan Recreation Center in Williamstown.

“I am fond of saying and proving that our county is the most written about in Canada. There is an enduring attachment to the Bonnie Native Glen…and to church, family and clan that, may very well exist elsewhere, but this is ours…our home and native land,” Anderson said in his acceptance speech.

“As for me, I came here to uncover the past but stayed to discover the future. Your kind thoughts and gentle comments bring calm and content to our family and for this I thank you warmly,” he said to a round of applause.

Anderson, dubbed South Glengarry’s “Professor Emeritus,” joked that when he learned of his nominators’ plans he “laughed at their folly” but, in actual fact, was very humbled.

The Glengarrian’s historic wheelhouse is the fur trade of the North West Company and while studying in Montreal he learned many Nor’westers had retired in Williamstown.

Anderson sells rare books and also started tracing the ancestry of Glengarry families while also serving on a number of historical and museum boards.

Awards were also given out in five other categories.

• Gavin Dancause – Youth Merit Award – a role-model student at Holy Trinity who helps fellow students with learning difficulties. He is one of the youngest chief scouts in Ontario. Gavin has also amassed over 300 community service hours, far more than the 40 volunteer hours needed to graduate, and he still has four years to go.

• Taylor Dicaire – Entrepreneur of the Year – at the age of 13 she expanded on her scrap booking hobby, and started creating, marketing and selling her personalized greeting cards. The product from the “young card master” can been seen at local craft shows and fund raising events. She uses her babysitting money to buy supplies for her business. Taylor is a Grade 9 student at Holy Trinity.

• Cornwall Aviation Ltd. – Business of the Year – the business has grown into one of Canada’s premier flight schools, specializing in advanced multi-engine and instrument training. Cornwall Aviation performed over 300 flight tests last year and a significant portion of the instrument flight exams in Canada. At times, they’ve been asked to help emergency officials with aerial searches.

• Ferme Jean-Guy Beriault Ltee. – Excellence in Agriculture – a very humbled part of South Glengarry, the family has served the farming community with honour for over seven decades, handling and marketing cash crops. They are described as easy to work with and they exercise diplomacy, efficiency and integrity.

• Community Service Award – Martintown & District Horticultural Society – the group of roughly 60 people, celebrating its 50th anniversary, is responsible for fostering community spirit. They plant and maintain the flower boxes at the Martintown bridge and throughout the village as well as put a wreath on the old Martintown mill. The society is taking an active part in bringing a child’s play park to the community, providing prizes for various fundraisers. The society plays a very active role in the life of Martintown.

Click on one of the thumbnails below to open a gallery of the award recipients.