COMOX VALLEY – Long-serving citizens, Ron Webber and Bruce Curtis, were presented with the King Charles III Coronation Medal by their MLA, Ronna-Rae Leonard, last Friday.

Bruce Curtis was a founder and the driving force behind the Comox Valley Community Justice Centre, bringing influential lawmakers and others to the community to elevate the understanding and application of restorative justice both locally and beyond, with the Iona Campagnolo Lecture Series, a program he orchestrated for 13 years.

Curtis’ work has seen the Comox United Church become a 2SLGTBQ+ affirming community, and he continues to support that ongoing work at the church and in community, including supporting Dawn to Dawn’s project to build 2SLGBTQ+ youth housing. He has served on many committees and boards, and acted as a resource to support organizations including the Sid Williams Theatre, and the Comox Valley Art Gallery.

Ron Webber served the Comox Valley as a councillor, then Mayor of Courtenay, serving for a combined 30 years in municipal government. Some of his most visible legacies include the Florence Filberg Centre, the airpark walkway, and the Memorial Wall, adjacent to the Cliffe Ave cenotaph.

Webber served as chair of Remembrance Day ceremonies for years and dedicated seven years as Honourary Colonel for 407 Maritime Patrol. Webber has dedicated decades of service on boards as well, including Glacier View Lodge, Citizens on Patrol, Kiwanis and Lions Clubs, Comox Valley Hospice, the Legion Pipe Band, and the BC Lions Society for support of Children with Disabilities, making a significant difference in this community and beyond.

The Coronation Medal, a Canadian honour created to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, was launched by Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, and recognizes people who have made significant contributions to Canada and their home province and communities.

Nominated earlier this year, these recipients, including Sophia Vaillant, a local recipient who was awarded earlier this month, have all played a part in making the community an amazing place to live, and have built legacies that will continue for generations to come.

In presenting the medals, nominator MLA Ronna-Rae Leonard said that she hoped these awards would “shine a light on their achievements and inspire others to follow in their footsteps to benefit this community and beyond.”

The medal will be awarded to 30,000 deserving individuals across the country and is the first Canadian honour to mark a coronation.