Carol Manning wins Queen’s medal

Carol Manning, Selwyn House Head of Middle School, received The Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers in a ceremony at the P.K. Subban Atrium of the Montreal Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, March 1. This prestigious award recognizes the exceptional volunteer achievements of Canadians from across the country in a wide range of fields.

 

Ms. Manning was nominated for her decades of work with a number of local charities, including Christchurch Cathedral and the NDG Food Bank.

 

She says her volunteer activities serve a dual purpose: not only helping the needy, but also planting the seeds of charity among her students “to ensure that there will be volunteers out there in the future.”

 

“I’m trying to teach the students to become lifelong volunteers.”

 

Ms Manning insists that, when students help out at Christchurch, they should bring along a parent. This, she says, deepens the experience for the whole family and ensures that the seeds of charity take root.

 

Middle School English and history teacher Matt McCarney wrote a letter nominating Ms Manning for this award last June.

 

“She has grown and fostered a culture of caring and giving in our school that will make our students better men in the long term,” Mr. McCarney wrote.

 

“We now have many student-led initiatives (overseen by Carol) that include book drives, winter clothing drives for children who lack such necessities, and the NDG Food Bank. In fact, Carol and the Grade 7 students were recently given the Food Bank’s Outstanding Contribution Award for their sustained giving.”

 

Like many active volunteers, Ms Manning’s charity work has become second nature, such that she was incredulous that she would receive an award for it. In fact, when the email arrived announcing her honour, she thought it was a joke and deleted it.

 

No joke. Along with a dozen other winners, including Dr. Nicolas Steinmetz of the Montreal Children’s Hospital and a little-known hockey player named P.K. Subban, Ms Manning was summoned by the Queen’s representative in Canada, Governor General David Johnston, to the March 1 ceremony. The presence of Subban in the Hospital atrium that bears his name gave an extra media buzz to the event.

 

Ms Manning is now the humble owner of a medal from the Queen and a colour handbook explaining in detail how to wear it properly.