SPRING BAY—A very deserving Carol Gilmore has been presented with the municipality of Central Manitoulin’s Senior of the Year award for 2018.
A shocked Carol Gilmore entered the packed Spring Bay Community Centre this past Saturday evening, with everyone on their feet clapping for the new Senior of the Year award winner (who had been told she would be attending an engagement party).
“We got one over on the lady who always gets one over on everyone else,” stated her son, Jeff.
Richard Stephens, Mayor of Central Manitoulin told the gathering, “Thank you all for coming here this evening. You may not know that every year the municipality takes an inventory of all the people who have served and promoted the municipality of Central Manitoulin over the years for this award.”
“This task is very difficult when you consider all the many people in the municipality who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in helping out,” said Mayor Stephens. “And we have one here this evening, Carol Gilmore, who is a mainstay of the community of Central Manitoulin. She was a mainstay of the community of Campbell before the amalgamation of Central Manitoulin took place and has continued to be a mainstay in the amalgamated community ever since.”
“But it was not a difficult task in selecting Carol for this award,” said Mayor Stephens. “Especially when you consider all the things she has been involved in. We asked councillors for input on all the things Carol has been involved in over the years. She was secretary of the Mindemoya Hospital Auxiliary and has been the past president of the Providence Bay Agriculture Fair Board. What I remember her most for at the fair is her moderating the horse pull with her sidekick Shirley Legge. She has been doing this so long she not only knows the names of the drivers and hookers but even some of the horse’s names as well.”
Mayor Stephens noted that Ms. Gilmore has been involved in the Spring Bay Community Centre Board, Campbell Local Services Board, the Pentecostal Church in Spring Bay and has been a volunteer for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. She was secretary for many years with the Campbell Horticultural Society and was on the transition committee for the amalgamation of the municipality. She was also an executive member of the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies for over 20 years.
“We are very thankful for everything that Carol has done and would ask that she step forward and receive this award,” said Mayor Stephens, who presented the award.
“Thank you very much. This has been quite a surprise,” stated Ms. Gilmore. “John had said at the auction (she works for Norm Morrell auctions as the registering clerk) that he had to leave early today; and I said I had a private engagement party that I had to attend as well. Thank you so much, this is quite a surprise.”
Auctioneer and friend Norm Morrell said, “I don’t really have much to say. Actually I’ve had a wife (Joyce) for 50 years and Carol for 40 years in the auctioneering business. So I’ve spent 90 years with two women. That has to be an achievement.”
Mr. Morrell noted, “I could tell lot of stories about Carol and her dad. I don’t think anyone has succeeded as much in being involved in the community as she has, with her passion and commitment. I know I probably wouldn’t be where I am in the auctioneering business without her. She is such a hard worker. People will always ask me how Carol is doing, a lot more than they ask about me. Whatever success I’ve had in auctioneering she deserves at least 50 percent of the credit.”
“Carol is very deserving of this award, and I’m so glad she has received this,” said Mr. Morrell. “I want to thank you on behalf of my family, including my wonderful daughter in law Tammy Cameron (Carol’s niece, who she had introduced to Norm and Joyce’s son Larry).”
“I know that my mom has been involved in quite a few things in the community over the years and when I was told she was to receive this award, we were told she could receive the award at a council meeting or at a function like this. I talked to my brother Tim about this and we decided holding an event like this would work out the best,” explained Jeff Gilmore. The community centre was packed with Ms. Gilmore’s family and friends who enjoyed a fabulous potluck dinner and socializing.
