EVELYN ARCHIBALD BRACEBRIDGE ROTARY’S FIRST NEW BILL TOWNS CITIZEN OF YEAR
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
BRACEBRIDGE — Rotarian Bill Towns would have been proud.
At the Bracebridge Rotary Club’s virtual meeting Friday, members celebrated the renaming of the club’s Citizen of the Year award while announcing its first recipient, Evelyn Archibald.
Rotary recognized the lifetime contributions to volunteerism of William E. Towns in honouring his memory. He passed away last year after serving the community as a club member since 1948.
His 70th year as a Rotarian was marked by the Rotary Club of Bracebridge in 2018 at a celebration at South Muskoka Golf Club.
He and his first wife, Helen, were named by the club as citizen of the year in 1993 for their contributions and support of the “Rotary Fair.”
Since 1982 the club has celebrated the volunteer achievements and contributions of 39 residents.
The award goes to “a member of the Bracebridge community who has displayed a pronounced and continued pattern of exemplary civic duty and self-less volunteer service in the community.”
In announcing the award — with his wife and fellow member Ruth Bell-Towns on hand — committee chair Cheryl Kelley said: “William E. Towns was the epitome of exemplary civic duty and of self-less volunteer service, and the award renaming is very suitable because he set the bar very high.”
His wife said “Bill would be very honoured and humbled to know that this award now bears his name.”
Archibald was named as the first recipient of the new award.
Her citation noted “her volunteerism has touched many parts of the Bracebridge and Muskoka community as well as her professional and faith communities.
“Having arrived in Bracebridge in 1974 with her husband, Larry, Evelyn’s volunteering dates back to the Bracebridge Historical Society and the refurbishment of Woodchester Villa in the late 70s.”
Since then, she has served on many boards and committees including:
- Muskoka Women’s Advocacy Group;
- Muskoka District Housing Authority;
- Muskoka Community Foundation;
- Habitat for Humanity Muskoka; Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North for 3 builds;
- Canadian Federation of University Women Muskoka – Program Committee;
- Terry Fox Run;
- Numerous Provincial Committees for the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants/Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario; and
- Numerous Committee for the Bracebridge United Church.
In addition to lending her professional skills, Evelyn rolls up her sleeves to help out with numerous sporting competitions, the Monck Public Breakfast Program, Bracebridge’s Out of the Cold Program at the United Church, driving for Muskoka Family focus and canvassing for MS.
In her acceptance speech, Archibald said she was “surprised to receive the award as the club’s Citizen of the Year.”
Adding humbly “I haven’t done much lately,” she said she had to sign off the virtual presentation to link up to a meeting of the YWCA’s Bridges Out of Poverty program.
In thanking the club, she said: “I am honoured to be the first recipient in an award named after Bill Towns.
“I could not have followed-up on many of the opportunities presented to be me without the help and support of colleagues, family and friends.”
Rotarian Linda Brouillette, who nominated Archibald, said: “I was so happy that Evelyn was chosen as the first recipient of the William E. Towns Citizen of the Year Award.
“Evelyn, you have done so much good in this world in your own unassuming and dedicated way.”
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