In the last issue, I defined the nature and importance of the Navy League of Canada’s 125th Anniversary celebration and the award of the commemorative coin to selected deserving cadets and citizens. I outlined the special nature of the award by the two cadet corps in Kemptville to recognize two very special cadets and two accomplished community supporters of the Naval Cadet Program for boys and girls.s the cadets, the corps and the Board (what Board?) all benefit from the warmth and kindness of their municipality and its business owners and citizens, it seemed appropriate to first recognize the two special citizens chosen by the corps to receive this distinction.
The first is very well known and has been personally engaged in all aspects of community life here in Kemptville. She is the redoubtable Marguerite (Maggie) Boyer, Production Manager at North Grenville Times, artist, illustrator and as an author with an enormous output of articles on all walks of life and community affairs, a firmly engaged and independent newspaper professional. As a production manager, have a good look at the truly excellent Heritage Anniversary magazine available throughout Kemptville stores and businesses, to appreciate her skills in layout and design. Don’t know her as an artist? Visit the entry of Jim and Judy Beveridge’s B&H grocery to view the superb watercolour she has contributed to benefit the Oxford Mills Community Association charitable draw. Her illustrations abound in local publications.
She is also an ardent supporter of youth programs in Kemptville and especially of the boys and girls – the cadets – of RCSCC Defiant and NLCC Assiniboine, the two Navy cadet corps in Kemptville. But she was chosen for so much more than her support for our cadets.
The scope of her influence in the affairs of the Municipality and region are obvious in her articles – covering the energy and results of charitable events, meaningful accomplishments in the lives of residents, the successes of local businesses and artisans, – from quality-of-life issues to food drives and the achievements of other artists. Her articles are not just a chronology – the comments of an observer cataloguing what she sees. Just read her account of her participaction in the House of Lazarus Hunger Awareness Challenge. She feels personally the issues and challenges faced by others and reports on these with great integrity. On one hand, she is illustrating a historical society cookbook while entrepreneurs with new businesses in Kemptville have described her as a person who “acts as a bridge between new businesses and those in the community who could benefit from their expertise”.
This is not an inert by-stander. This is an engaged, feeling and committed member of our community who does for our cadets what she does for the rest of us – contributing meaningfully and caringly! Day in and day out! Recently recognized with a Friends of the Library Honorary Life Membership in recognition of her years of voluntary service, it is no surprise that the officers and cadets of RCSCC Defiant nominated Marguerite Boyer to receive this award!
Another citizen recipient will be highlighted in the next issue and then a special issue will follow to recognize our two outstanding cadet recipients.
