Museum Curator, Major John Stephens, CD (Ret’d) is awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers

As many of you will know, The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Museum and Archive is maintained totally by volunteers, without their hard work the museum wouldn’t exist. It is fitting that, on Sunday 24 of April 2022, during National Volunteer Week, our Curator, Major John Stephens, CD (Ret’d) should be awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers on behalf of the Governor General of Canada by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario her Honour Elizabeth Dowdeswell, OC, O Ont.

John has, over the last decade, made incredible improvements to our beloved museum that have been praised throughout the Regimental family and the Canadian Army in general. These improvements came because of the time, effort, and attention to detail that John has invested but also because of the incredible team of volunteers he has been able to “rope-in” over the years. Our museum volunteers come from all walks of life; some serving or former soldiers in the Regiment, some through their studies at Toronto schools and others from their interest in military history. Wherever they came from and regardless of if they helped-out for a couple of months or have been with us for ten years, they have made a difference. They have logged over 13,000 volunteer hours and contributed to telling the story of our Riflemen, the Regiment, and Canada that tens of thousands of visitors to our museum at Casa Loma see every year.

Thank-you for your time and congratulations on a well-deserved award.

CWO (Ret) Shaun Kelly, CD

Acting Curator

The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Museum and Archive