Chief earns highest volunteer medal

CPO1 Paul Fenton receives the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers from Her Honour, the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of B.C., in a ceremony at Government House. Photo by LS Shaun Martin, MARPAC Imaging Services

CPO1 Paul Fenton receives the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers from Her Honour, the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of B.C., in a ceremony at Government House. Photo by LS Shaun Martin, MARPAC Imaging Services

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

Fifteen years of unpaid, behind-the-scenes volunteerism has earned Chief Petty Officer First Class Paul Fenton a unique, prestigious medal – the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers.

Last Thursday, Sept. 5, he was one of 44 British Columbia recipients to receive the honour from B.C. Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin in a ceremony at Government House.

CPO1 Fenton, 50, is currently in his 31st year of service with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and was honoured for his years of volunteer work with Scouts Canada.

“It’s an incredible honour to be recognized for my volunteering at the national level,” said CPO1 Fenton.

The Medal for Volunteers is awarded annually in each province on behalf of the Governor General of Canada, Julie Payette. It is presented to individuals who have made significant, sustained contributions to their community in Canada or abroad. The award was created in 1995 by former Governor General Roméo LeBlanc and builds on the spirit of its predecessor, the Caring Canadian Award.

CPO1 Fenton began his involvement with Scouting in 2004 as Scout Leader when his children became members of the 1st Arbutus Scouts in Esquimalt. Today, he is Group Commissioner with the 33rd Greater Victoria Medical Scout Group. The scout group is for youth ages 15 to 26 and provides first aid services to local scouting events. He is also a member of the Greater Victoria training team for scout leaders.

A military colleague nominated the Chief. He was notified of his award on March 8 through an email from the Office of The Governor General of Canada.

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The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers is a 36mm in diameter medal with a suspension ring that depicts contemporary effigy of the Sovereign, with a circumscribed inscription in capital letters of the Canadian Royal Title and the word “Canada” separated by two maple leafs. The reverse side of the medal celebrates caring and generosity represented by two interlaced hearts, and five gold strips to evoke the fingers of a hand.

It is presented the Chancellery of Honours, part of the Officer of the Secretary to the Governor General. Nominations are carefully reviewed by an advisory committee that makes recommendations on recipients to the Governor General.

More information on the nomination process can be found at:
https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/canadian-honours/sovereigns-medal-volunteers/nominate-someone

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