Keddie earns ‘Citizen of Year’ honours

While she may be “across the pond” right now, June Keddie is well aware she’s been named the 2006 “Citizen of the Year” for Fort Frances.
“We went to her home to try and go talk to her, and where was she but in England?” laughed Bill Gushulak, who sits on the selection committee along with Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft, Mayor Dan Onichuk, and past “Citizen of the Year” Mark Kowalchuk.
“But we did talk to her by phone on Saturday and she was absolutely excited,” he added. “She’s looking forward to coming home and being in the Santa Claus parade.
“We’re working with her right now to see if she can be back here by the 17th for the [town] appreciation dinner.”
Keddie is best known for her work with the Canadian Cancer Society, “Spirit of Christmas,” “Relay for Life,” “Luncheon of Hope,” and Rainy River District Breast Health Network, as well as volunteering with both the day program and the chemotherapy program at La Verendrye Hospital here.
She was recommended as this year’s top citizen by the selection committee, which met last Thursday to make its decision.
Council then approved that recommendation Monday night.
“I’m sure she’ll be a very good representative for the town,” said Gushulak.
“She’s done a lot of volunteering, but it wasn’t a selling tickets sort of thing. It’s been service from the heart,” he added.
“She is giving of herself, and really dedicated to her cause of trying to help people, particularly cancer victims—trying to encourage them and help keep their chins up.”
Keddie was nominated for the honour by Susan Ossachuk, director of nursing practice at La Verendrye.
“I don’t think there’s anyone more deserving,” she remarked yesterday, adding she was thrilled to hear Keddie had been named the 2006 “Citizen of the Year.”
“She gives countless hours to our community. As a cancer survivor, she’s involved in all the cancer-related groups,” noted Ossachuk. “She contributes to them without being asked, or without expecting any recognition.
“My personal reason, on top of all of that, is that my daughter [Kayleigh] and I were involved with the chemotherapy unit this year. My daughter was receiving chemotherapy,” Ossachuk continued.
“We were there every second Tuesday and we were lucky—Tuesday happens to be the day June Keddie does her volunteer work there.
“From the day we walked in the door until the day we left, she was absolutely incredible,” enthused Ossachuk. “She did little things for me, she did little things for my daughter. Things that came out of the blue, and she didn’t expect anything in return.
“She’s incredibly special. Not just for us, but for every other chemo patient that was there,” Ossachuk stressed. “Last week for Hallowe’en, she’d made pumpkin soup because they were having a Hallowe’en party.
“Doing things for others is like a way of life for her,” added Ossachuk. “She has really made a positive contribution to elderly people in our community and those whose lives have been touched by cancer.”
Teresa Hazel, director of the Riverside Foundation for Health Care and a member of the local Breast Health Network, contributed a testimonial as part of Ossachuk’s application.
“June is all about kindness,” Hazel wrote. “It’s in the small things. She does little kindnesses, random acts of kindness that really make a difference.
“Being a breast cancer survivor herself, it’s become a mission of June’s to help other people, whether it’s supporting people who have the disease or it’s promoting awareness of breast cancer prevention.
“She goes above and beyond,” added Hazel. “She has a passion, and I’m sure it was sparked by her own experience.”
Ossachuk also noted the testimonial offered by the day hospital said Keddie should be the “Citizen of the Century.”
As mentioned above, the selection committee is hoping Keddie, who currently is in England, will be back in Fort Frances in time to be formally honoured at the town’s annual appreciation banquet on Friday, Nov. 17 at La Place Rendez-Vous,
If not, she will be back to take part in the Santa Claus parade on Nov. 25.