2023 Recipients of the Ned MacDonald Community Service Award

As you are likely aware if you've been following along with our Facebook page, the Inverness Historical Society has been fielding nominations throughout July for the Neddy McDonald Memorial Community Service Award. This award is named in honour of the late Neddy MacDonald, a man who spent his life serving our community as a municipal councillor, teacher, curator at the Inverness Miners Museum, volunteer, family man, and just about everything else in the book. Our six person selection committee extensively reviewed the several dozen nominations we received. We originally intended to present this award to two recipients, however with such an extensive and well deserving pool of nominees, we decided to select three instead, and one of the three recipient spots is equally co-merited. I am extremely proud to announce that our recipients are:

Rose Mary MacDonald (d.2023) / Callum MacQuarrie (d. 2021)

There is no way to adequately describe the contributions made by these two individuals. Rose Mary MacDonald spent decades working to create employment and funding opportunities for others, and after retiring she turned her focus to serving the Inverness Development Association. She volunteered at many levels of the organization before becoming president. It was in this organization that she began working alongside her co- recipient Callum MacQuarrie. Callum, a quadriplegic himself, spent his life advocating for increased accessibility rights. Callum and Rose spearheaded the Inverness County Accessibility Committee which has led to many public spaces being made or modified for those with physical disabilities. Perhaps most notably, their efforts led to Inverness Beach becoming the first fully accessible beach in Atlantic Canada. While both Rose Mary and Callum have passed on far too soon, the fruits of their labour continue to grow across our county and community.

Olga Smith

Olga Smith has been an unwavering pillar of our village for decades. Her many years of altruistic service for the Fire Hall Ladies Auxillery, Hospital Ladies Auxillery, St. Matthews United Church, the Inverness Arena, and countless other community institutions has made her an indispensable asset to her neighbours. She is always willing and ready to lend a helping hand to others wherever she can, and her desire to do so without attention or credit is the type of service we looked for when creating this award.

Ruth Skinner

While she never seeks acknowledgment or praise for her work, Ruth Skinner is one of the most community -minded people in Inverness. Her volunteer work with the Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital, Inverness Development Association, the Board of Directors for Shean Coop, the Garden Club, and the Inverness Fireman's Ladies Auxiliary are just a few of the many organizations where she pitches in.

The Inverness Historical Society is very grateful to our selection committee, and to all who have submitted nominations over the past few weeks. We will be presenting these awards in late August as part of an event we are hoping to announce soon. Congratulations to this group of more than deserving Invernessers!

Sincerely,

Ben MacKay

Deputy Curator and Organizing Chair of the Selection Committee