Georgetown Lions Citizen of the Year and the Lion Fred Zorge Service Club Member of the Year
Halton Hills Ontario
Scroll Down to Learn More About This Year's COTY
Since 1972 The Georgetown Lions Club has honoured individuals, couples or organizations for their volunteer work in our community. They all have one thing in common, the desire to make Georgetown a better community for everyone. Our Lions members contribute thousands of hours of volunteer work each year we know what it takes to serve and it is fitting that we give recognition to a citizen who has served his or her community in an outstanding way. The final selection is based on the recipient’s achievements and their outstanding contributions to our community. The committee wishes to acknowledge and thank those Georgetown citizens who write to us and made nominations for the Citizen of the Year Award.
How Do I Nominate Someone?
To nominate an outstanding volunteer send a letter or if you prefer use our application form and return it to Lions Club Citizen of the Year, P.O. Box 73, Georgetown L7G 4T1, or email doug1951.p@gmail.com . Past nominations are carried forward for two years and will be reconsidered. This is your chance to truly recognize someone in our community that makes a difference in the lives of many in our town. To nominate using the Lions application form click on the link below:
Application Form
https://e-clubhouse.org/userfiles/25476/file/Georgetown%20Lions%20Club%20COTY%20application(1).pdf
2022 Citizen of the Year (COTY)
Ken Thorn, Susan Tupling and Lion Grant Harris
The Georgetown Lions Club is pleased to announce the Georgetown’s Citizen of the Year for 2022; Susan Tupling and her husband Ken Thorn. The award given out annually since 1972 recognizes the contributions that volunteers make to the community; past recipients have included individuals, organizations and couples.
Susan and Ken met on a blind date in 1984 at the Terrace on the Green in Huttonville. They married in 1987 and in the same year purchased their house in Georgetown near the fairgrounds that they still live in today. They are both very proud of their now 32 year old son Andrew who they adopted in 1990 when he was just 3 days old. The couple are also proud guardians of their female chi-hauhau (Guard Dog!) named Cali. Both Susan and Ken are retired from their careers however retired is not a good label for them as they both have post retirement careers in volunteering!
The Chair of the Citizen of the year award, Lion Grant Harris indicated “Susan and Ken are true Community Champions with long resumes of volunteering in Halton Hills!” An abbreviated list of their community involvement are as follows:
Susan was a board member of CAShh (Cancer Assistance Services for Halton Hills) for 11 years (5 as Chair) and a canvasser for 15+ years.
She was an assistant basketball coach at Christ the King for 10 years
She served as Treasurer of the School council at Stewarttown School for 3 years
She was the treasurer on the board of directors of the Georgetown Bread Basket food bank for 11 years
She is currently in her 11th year as the Coordinator of Food for Life centred at St. Johns United Church
Since 2008 Susan has been a member of the Community Unity group helping organize spring and fall cleanups for those in need of assistance
Susan has been a member of the Georgetown little theatre board for many years
She is presently the Treasurer of the Bach Chorale for the past 3 years
She has been a member of the Halton Hills Food Network since 2016
From 2010-2021 she served on the Social Justice and Outreach Committee of St. Johns United Church.
“Ken is no slouch either” Lion Grant proclaims.
Ken has volunteered with St. Johns United Church since the Mid 1990’s in various important roles.
He has held various positions at the GRC Squash board since the early 1980s
He formed a Scout/Cub group in 1997/98 and now is closing in on his 25 year pin as a leader
2016 he signed on as a CAShh driver
Since 2021 he has been involved with Halton Hills Pickle Ball Association as secretary and various roles
Ken is a member of GForce (Georgetown friends of Refugees) and has worked countless hours with the group raising money and awareness to bring 2 families from Syria and now the group are working diligently on bringing 2 Afghan families to Halton.
Lion Grant mentioned that he has personally seen both Susan and Ken helping at other community events like the Georgetown Santa Claus Parade and the Head for Hills Beer Craft festival to name a few. He also said “it is never an easy task choosing a Citizen of the Year as all the candidate submissions the Lions receive are worthy winners. It truly warms your heart to know that there are so many selfless, like-minded citizens amongst us. Unfortunately, we can only choose 1 candidate- so Congratulations to Susan and Ken and Thank You for all that you continue to do to make Halton Hills a great place to live!
Past Recipients
1972- Peggy Treahy 1995 –Lois Fraser
1973 – Georgetown Volunteer Fire Dept. 1996 –Trevor Williams
1974 – Rev. Peter Barrow 1997 –Ron & Dorothy Hunt
1975 - Georgetown Volunteer Ambulance 1998 –May & Shell Lawr
Service 1999- Paul C. Armstrong
1976- Connie Nieuwhof 2000- Barry & Sandra Timleck
1977 –Walter H. Gray 2001- Manley & Doreen Densmore
1978- Irwin & Joy Noble 2002- Martin Boomsma
1979 – Karen Harrison 2003- Jenny Tuffin
1980- Violet Haines ( 2004- Tom Schenk
1981- A.V. Ab Tennant 2005- Glenda Benton
1982- Esme Ball 2006- Louise Brown
1983- Ralph Ursel 2007- Homecoming Committee 2007
1984- W. “Steamer” Emerson 2008- Dr. Jeff Sutherland
1985- Jean Layman 2009- Ernie Bodnar
1986- Georgetown Girls Pipeband 2010- Dianne Penrice
1987- Edward “Ted” Gorth 2011- Laurent Thibault
1988- Thompson “Tom” Ramautarsingh 2012- Graeme Goebelle
1989- Jesse Hayes 2013- Brenda Sisnett
1990- Siena Van Hoekelen 2014- Fred Helson
1991- Lena Johnston 2015- Kay d’Entremont
1992- A. “Sandy” Booth 2016- Dave and Dale Cox
1993- Lou Darcie 2017- Gerry Kentner
1994- Russell Miller 2018-Dee Dee Haynes-Ridley
2019-20 Marilyn Serjeanston
2021- Glen MacDonald
Pictures from the Awards Dinner March 28/23
Ken, Mayor Lawlor and Susan
Ken, Susan and Chair Gary Carr
Ken, Susan and D'Arcy Keene representing MP Michael Chong
Stephen Stoute Chamber of Commerce, Ken and Susan
Jennifer Spencer of the independent Free Press, Ken and Susan
Thank you to all our valued presenters.
The Lion Fred Zorge Service Club Member of the Year
The Georgetown Lions Club has since 1972 honoured a worthy volunteer by awarding the Annual Citizen of the Year Award. Over last 47 years the award has been given to individuals, couples or organizations that have made Georgetown a better community.
The format has remained consistent until 2019, Lions Club added a new award.. The Lions is the largest service club organization in the world with over 1.4 million members in over 200 countries we know the dedication that is required to be a good service club member.
Service clubs are unique in that the members join not only to undertake community service but also to form close bonds and friendships that endure for many years. Members may channel all their volunteerism through the service club the success of the projects undertaken benefit the community while the individual member may not get the recognition in the broader community as the whole club undertook the project. The Lions felt that the community should be able to honour and publicly acknowledge those service club members that give of their time and talents to the community accordingly a new award was established commencing in 2019 and will be combined with the Lion's Citizen to the Year Award Dinner.
The inaugural winner of the award in 2019 was Lion Fred Zorge
The Lion Fred Zorge Service Club Member of the Year 2021
Kiwanian Mike Francis
Service clubs are unique in that the members join not only to undertake community service but also to form close bonds and friendships that endure for many years. Members may channel all their volunteerism through the service club, the success of the projects undertaken benefit the community while the individual member may not get the recognition in the broader community as the whole club undertook the project. The Lion Fred Zorge Service Club Member of the Year Award was created to honour a worthy service club member in the community. The inaugural award was presented to Lion Fred Zorge.
The Lions Club is pleased to announce that Mike Francis a member of the Georgetown Kiwanis Club has been selected as the Service Club Member of the Year. Mike joined the Kiwanis in 2005 when he moved to Georgetown to open his insurance business. He was encouraged to join to establish new contacts in the community and was soon on the board of directors of the Kiwanis. Mike was familiar with the good work that Kiwanis undertake as a youth in London he played football for the Kiwanis Football Club.
He is an active past president of the club and steps up to serve on most committees including LobesterFest, Head for the Hills Craft Beer Festival and others. The Head for the Hills Craft Beer Festival is a partnership of four service clubs and Mike has played a key role since its inception. With his strong marketing background, he continues to be an integral member of the steering committee.
Mike is also a member of the B2C (Business to Community) networking group and played a major role in the rebranding of this organization. Each year the dedicated members of this group raise funds for the neediest in our community. In addition, the strong networking focus of the club ensures that the members stay connected to community projects and events.
Mike is an active member of the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce and proud supporter of Food4Kids and the Cancer Assistance Services of Halton Hills (CASHH).
Mike resides in Georgetown with his wife Kate, and they have two children, daughter Claire in university in London and Ben at home.
“I am pleased to submit his nomination for this award; Mike has been an invaluable member of the Halton Hills Craft Beer Festival and is a pleasure to work with” said Lion John Fini Chair of the Festival.
Due to uncertainty with community gatherings the award presentation details are not yet finalized.
Special thanks to our caterer Linda Armstrong
