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On tuesday night, the Rotary Club of Bathurst honoured three community leaders with Paul Harris Fellowships.  The inductees, Dr. Colleen O’Connell, Jocelyn (Josh) Ouellette and Loftus Benjamin, joined the ranks of 37 other Paul Harris Fellows honoured during such ceromonies.

Established in 1957 the award, named for the founder of Rotary International, honours individuals who have made substantial contributions to humanitarian and educational causes while being leaders in community service.

Dr. O’Connell grew up in Bathurst and completed medical school at Memorial University in Newfoundland. She specializes in neuro-rehabilitation and is Research Chief at the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation in Fredericton, N.B., holding faculty appointments with Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine and the University of New Brunswick Institute of Biomedical Engineering.

In addition to her clinical and research practice, Dr. O’Connell is the founder and chair of Team Canada Healing Hands. Through the not-for-profit organization, she has been leading teams of health care professionals and support volunteers on outreach initiatives in Haiti, and has had an opportunity to work in the areas of care delivery, training, and research in Haiti, Mozambique, Thailand, Malaysia, Kenya, and Nicaragua.

Mr. Ouellette, who was born and raised in Dalhousie, joined the Canadian Forces Military Police after high school. After serving at various postings throughout Canada for 14 years, he joined the Kedgwick sub-detachment of the New Brunswick Highway Patrol in 1986. Two years later he accepted a position with the Bathurst City Police, where he remained for 20 years.

Mr. Ouellette helped establish the Bathurst Youth Centre in 1998, and remains its president to this day. He also established the nationally recognized “Adopt A Cop” program, which remains active in both the English and French school districts in the Bathurst area; and helped form the Bathurst Crime Prevention Association.  Mr. Ouellette has also given tirelessly of his time to speak at schools, community groups and organizations on everything from business security to bullying to illegal drugs and continues to counsel young people and their parents on issues affecting the today’s youth.

Mr. Benjamin was born on the British Island of Dominica in the Caribbean. After graduating from the University of New Brunswick in 1965, where he specialized in Chemical Engineering, he was asked to take on the job of process engineer at the Belledune Fertilizer, eventually becoming plant manager in 1972. After a stint as Emergency Response Coordinator for the Noranda Group in Canada, he joined NB Power and was one of a group of engineers who assisted in the design, construction and start up of the Belledune Power Plant. I the mid-90’s, Mr. Benjamin became an investment executive and he continues to work for the firm of Partners in Planning Financial Services in Bathurst.

A member of the Bathurst Rotary Club since 1994, Mr. Benjamin has served as the club’s vice president for three years, been its sergeant at arms for six years and has been a member of the club’s board of directors for the past 12 years. In addition, he served as chairman of the membership and extension sub-committee for Zone 6 of Rotary District 7810 from 2003 to 2004. Mr. Benjamin is also a past member of the Kinsmen Club of Bathurst, the management council of Holy Family Church and a past executive member of the Bathurst Aquatic Centre finance committee.

The guest speaker, Leftenant Governor Herménégilde Chiasson, shared his great knowledge of our region and offered praise for the work done by our volunteers, and the Rotary Club in particular.

It was a beautiful, well-attended evening that attests to our recipients’ contribution to their community and the world.