Award Winners

Bruce Waite - 55 Years

2025 Legion of Honour Recipients

John Parker – 45 Years

Mike Bunn

35 Years

Lawrence LaFrance

35 Years

John Mayo

35 Years

Steve Van Kessel

25 Years

Doug Downey

25 Years

Our “Legion of Honour”

The Kiwanis Club of Orillia, at each Annual President’s Night dinner, seizes the opportunity to recognize members who demonstrate the spirit of Kiwanis with their efforts and leadership throughout the preceding year(s). Our major awards and their recipients over the years are shown below. Each person named represents countless hours serving the club and the community. Thank you, all of you, for your service to our community.

We are proud to acknowledge the 2025 Legion of Honour Recipients for their outstanding years of commitment to Kiwanis and our community:

• Doug Downey – 25 Years

• Steve Van Kessel – 25 Years

• John Mayo – 35 Years

• Lawrence LaFrance – 35 Years

• Mike Bunn – 35 Years

• John Parker – 45 Years

• Bruce Waite – 55 Years

Fred Larsen

2025 Mel Osbourne Fellowship

Charles Kelly

Mel Osbourne Fellowship Recipients

The Kiwanis Foundation of Canada has created an award which honours Mel Osbourne, one of the founders of the Canadian branch of Kiwanis International. Membership in the Fellowship is given to Kiwanians and other community members who have contributed to the growth and work of Kiwanis with the community’s children. This award is not presented annually, but on occasion, to celebrate truly special service to our Club and to the Kiwanis family by our members. Their service and dedication is remembered and honoured by being named to this prestigious society. Below is a list of the Mel Osbourne Fellows (Non-member community winners of the award on this list are noted by asterisks (**) after their names).

A memorable evening at North Brook Farms as members came together for the 2025 President’s Night celebration. We proudly congratulate Fred Larsen and Charles Kelly on being named our newest Mel Osborne Fellows.

Bill Hamilton

Blair Bailey**

Bob Brown

Bob MacDonald

Bruce Waite

Const. Gerry Dwyer**

Dave North

David Breckles

Dr. Lynn Carter

Francois Tisi

Heather Breckles

Jack Harber

Jack Keyzer

Jerry Wink

John Mayo

Kevin Moore**

Korine Keyzer

Stephanie Pegelo

Susan Waite**

Amanda Tevelde

2025 George McVeigh Spirit Award

2025 Skid Watson Award

Heather Breckles

George McVeigh Spirit Award

George was a member of our club who took on responsibilities with a smile, and that made it a pleasure to work with him to accomplish our tasks. Soft-spoken, with a gentle wit, he made all in his presence feel just a little better. After his untimely death, the club created this award to honour members who exude the same spirit.

2014 Joanne Watson

2015 John Mayo

2016 Dave North

2017 Korine Keyzer

2018 Lawrence LaFrance

2019 Stephanie Hunter

2020 Don Haskins

2021 Kiwanis Music Festival Committee

2022 Bob Brown

2023 Peter Borutski

2024 Fred Larsen

2025 Heather Breckles

Skid Watson Award

This award was created to honour one of our members, G. A. “Skid” Watson. Skid was the general manager of the Orillia YMCA for decades after WWI. His motto was “A man can accomplish almost anything if he cares not who gets the credit.” It is in that spirit that this award is presented. In 1979, Skid, having joined the Kiwanis Club of Orillia in 1925 after attending the Club’s Charter Evening the previous year, was the first recipient.

1979 G. A. “Skid” Watson

1980 Les Stringer

1981 Tom Parish

1982 Brian Wilkinson

1983 Greg Mulligan

1984 Bruce Waite

1985 John Morton

1986 Charles Kelly

1987 Mansell Chapman

1988 Jack Keyzer

1989 Bill Hamilton

1990 Jamie Powell

2003 Mike Bunn

2004 John Mayo

2005 Kelly Lassaline

2006 Dave & Heather Breckles

2007 Ben Cole

2008 Carol Ivey

2009 Francois Tisi

2010 Bob MacDonald

2011 Paul Lavigne

2012 Stephanie Pegelo

2013 Tim Timpano

2014 James Maxwell

1991 Dan Skinner

1992 Kirby Wagg

1993 Bob Johnson

1994 Bob Alkema

1995 Roy Pearn

1996 Lawrence LaFrance

1997 Jerry Wink

1998 Bob MacDonald

1999 Wayne Boshier

2000 Gerry Vrieswyk

2001 Bob Bodkin

2002 Chris Rostance

2015 Marnie Bosco

2016 Doug Downey

2017 Steve & Marni Van Kessel

2018 Korine Keyzer

2019 Dave North

2020 Jennifer Man

2021 Don Haskins

2022 Stephanie Hunter

2023 Maria MacDonald-Ross

2024 Kim & Peter Head

2025 Amanda Tevelde

Paul Ross

2025 'Special K' Award

'Special K' Award

In that special Kiwanis “spirit of fun,” the club each year presents one more award at the annual dinner—the Special K Award. This battered cup is given to the member of the club who has made the biggest blunder or goof-up during the year’s activities. As members are fond of noting, however, “you can’t make any mistakes if you’re not doing anything.” Accordingly, the winner of the award each year is often a person who has been in the thick of the club’s activities. The basis of this award’s presentation is often hilarious, as a few examples of the award’s recipients show.

The award was first presented in 1981 to Tom Hussey. After spending hours setting up for the live auction at the Roller Skating Place—from midnight to 5 a.m.—an exhausted Tom decided to try on a pair of skates and take a couple of spins around the floor. Shortly after, he was admitted to the hospital emergency ward with a broken ankle.

Others have won for sleeping in on the morning of the auction while having the only key to open the Roller Rink doors for the dozens of Kiwanians waiting to get in. John Waite won his award for driving a tall van full of items for the auction out of a laneway onto West Street and taking down an entire block of Christmas lights and decorations erected that morning by a City of Orillia crew.

The award is presented in fun and is accepted sheepishly. The one positive about winning is that you get to choose the next year’s recipient from the several nominations from members. Some past winners who are still current members are Bob Brown, Mike Bunn, Peter Head, Rob Town, Marnie Bosco, Dave North and Fred Larsen. Lawrence LaFrance, Bruce Waite and John Mayo have each been awarded the Cup four times (and counting?).

Pictured above: 2024 recipient Ben Cole presented the Special K Award in 2025 to Paul Ross

Contact

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Email

kiwaniscluborillia@gmail.com

© Kiwanis Club of Orillia, established in 1924, boasting a track record of strong community service with a special focus on children.

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