Civic Recognition Awards

Honouring residents and organizations for outstanding service

Atotal of 21 individuals and groups, plus one dog, were celebrated for outstanding volunteer service to the community during the inaugural Civic Recognition Awards held at the Regent Theatre on September 24. In addition, Mayor Steve Ferguson presented Ben Thornton with the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers for Mr. Thornton’s decades-long volunteer work with arts, service and community organizations. The Civic Recognition Program is intended to allow the mayor and members of Council to recognize individuals and groups for their achievements of for their work to serve the community of Prince Edward County.

Myrna Wood was given the award posthumously for her work to preserve the natural heritage of the County. Ms. Wood passed away on September 26, 2025, and the award was accepted by her friend and colleague Amy Bodman. Ms. Wood arrived in the County in 1994 after retiring as a librarian in Hamilton. She was very involved in the Civil Rights movement in the US as well as in Canada, and chose to retire in the County in part because of her interest in birdwatching and her visits to Prince Edward Point. She was one of the founders of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists and shortly after she spearheaded the Spring Birding Festival. She became a passionate advocate of the County’s south shore and helped to promote its recognition as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. She put up a staunch defence of the area in the fight against the installation of industrial wind turbines, and was a founding member of the South Shore Joint Initiative. “She was a good driving force and a leader, but she never drew attention to herself. She was very inspirational, and was no-nonsense and very practical. She got things done,” said Ms. Bodman. “She really brought awareness to the natural heritage, and that we are a part of something bigger.” In addition to her work to help preserve the natural environment, Ms. Bodman remembers Myrna as a dear friend who taught her how to sew, who loved books and reading, and who loved parties. “She liked to celebrate, and drink beer, not wine,” said Ms. Bodman.

The County Foundation (TCF) has become a vital part of the fabric of Prince Edward County. Under the leadership of Brian Beiles, TCF has grown into a philanthropic organization that offers collaborative leadership and funding to support initiatives that benefit the community. For this role Mr. Beiles was presented with an Outstanding Volunteer Award. Mr. Beiles was the board chair during the organization’s formative years and helped to build TCF into a respected and credible community partner. One key component was the launch in 2013 of the Vital Signs report, which identified key priority areas such as food security, learning, transportation and well-being. This report has been regularly updated and is a well respected indicator of the social health of the County. Mr. Beiles helped to build strong relationships between the municipality and donors to direct funding priorities to where they are most needed. Mr. Beiles was deeply appreciative to receive the award and noted that his contribution was built upon the groundwork laid by TCF founder Carlyn Moulton and her successor, Joan Pennefather. “Especially gratifying for me is, through the efforts of the volunteer board and the generosity of our donors and partners, TCF has been able to facilitate grants back to the community totalling more than $11 million since its inception. The Vital Signs reports have sparked dialogue and discussion in our community, and have provided a focus for our donors and our granting,” he writes.

Terry Sprague grew up in a farming family on Big Island. He had a strong interest in nature, and when the family farm was sold in 1976 he worked as a researcher at the Glenora Fisheries. His career as a naturalist took off when he was hired by Sandbanks Provincial Park. He developed an outdoor program for Quinte Conservation and led guided hikes and interpretive walks where the participants were told not only what they were seeing, but why it was there and how it tied in to the natural environment. Retirement in 2014 only meant a change of pace. He offered full day hikes, worked on bus tours, and led boat excursions to Main Duck Island. The latter were incredibly popular, sometimes with a waiting list of over 100 people for a boat trip with a capacity of 12 passengers. Mr. Sprague said he enjoyed sharing the awareness and importance of the natural environment. “Biodiversity is so important these days. Our whole system depends on whether we have a healthy environment, on whether we protect the species that are here.” he said. Mr. Sprague was presented with the Mayor’s Special Achievement Award for his dedication to education, conservation and community service, and for sharing his knowledge, passion and enthusiasm for the natural world with generations of County residents and visitors. Mr. Sprague said he was very flattered to receive the award, and said he was very happy to share the stage with the many others who were also award recipients. “We don’t do this to get recognition. We do it because we love what we do,” he said.

The 2026 Civic Recognition Award recipients are: Jessica Davis, Spencer Hensahw, Friends of the Library, Food for Learning volunteers, Climate Action Plan Working Group, Thomas Rice, Audrey Maracle, Brian Beiles, Beverly Marr, Susan Rose, Pamela Stagg, Carole Thimidis, Lee Tremblay and Lillee, Nancy Woods, Sandra Latchford, Peter Lockyer, David Hepburn and Max Mee, Terry Sprague, Lyle Vanclief, and Myrna Wood.