Order of Newfoundland and Labrador Recipients to be Invested on December 7

The Honourable Edward Roberts, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador and Chancellor of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced the individuals who will be inducted into the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador in an investiture ceremony at Government House on Friday, December 7.

The individuals are: Barbara B. Barrett; Elsa Helen Flack; Paul O�Neill; Elinor Gill Ratcliffe; Dr. Nigel Francis S. Rusted; Frances J. Sweetland; Henry Vokey; and Malcolm "Max" Winters. Shirley Brooks-Jones will be inducted as an honourary member of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. An honourary membership is presented to individuals who are not Canadian citizens but who have demonstrated excellence in their fields of endeavour, and whose endeavours "have benefited in an outstanding manner the province and its residents."

"In the lives of these individuals, there is an encouraging story of achievement and excellence that personifies the spirit of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador," said Mr. Roberts. "These men and women have created legacies which will endure, and their contributions have greatly benefited many people on numerous levels throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. As Chancellor of the Order, it will be an honour to preside over a ceremony to acknowledge their tremendous efforts, and I look forward to welcoming them formally to the Order."

"This province is home to some of the most tenacious, hard working, giving and talented people on earth," said the Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. "The Order of Newfoundland and Labrador celebrates these outstanding individuals who are proof that we have an abundance of dedicated, selfless individuals who devote their lives to making this province the best it can be. The various areas in which they have contributed are testimony to the diversity that exists in Newfoundland and Labrador. It will be my privilege to participate in the ceremony to recognize their achievements."

The Order of Newfoundland and Labrador is the highest honour of the province. The order recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence and achievement in any field of endeavour benefiting in an outstanding manner Newfoundland and Labrador and its residents. The first investiture took place in 2004.

Nominations for the next induction into the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador may be made until January 31, 2008. For more information, please visit - www.gov.nl.ca/onl 

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Since arriving in Newfoundland and Labrador as a war bride in 1946, Barbara Barrett has devoted the past 61 years to volunteering and sharing her expertise in the realm of theatre arts. She is considered the matriarch of Newfoundland and Labrador theatre and has been awarded the Order of Canada. Her efforts have inspired the creation of various theatre groups throughout the province and have introduced many young Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to the world of theatre.

Elsa Helen Flack�s great passion for family history and desire to inspire others to learn about their ancestry led her, in 1984, to found the Newfoundland and Labrador Genealogical Society. Due to Ms. Flack volunteering an exceptional number of hours to the development of the society, it grew significantly. Furthermore, her attention to historical accuracy in the province has raised the quality of family history publications.

Born in 1907 in Salvage, Dr. Nigel Rusted is renowned for his distinguished medical career. His career began during the summers of 1930 and 1931 as a medical student onboard the S. S. Kyle. He was the first health officer to travel along the coast of Labrador. At 100 years of age, his legacy is that of a long career dedicated to a profession he loves in the place to which he is devoted and a daily diary he has kept since 1925.

Librarian, Girl Guide and Brownie organizer, news correspondent, organist, choir director, Red Cross member, Bonavista Peninsula Health Care Auxillary and member of the executive of the NLAHA. � these are but a few of the titles which can be attributed to Frances Sweetland of Bonavista. She has profoundly touched the lives of many people in the various roles she has taken on throughout her years of service to the community.

For more than 55 years, Henry Vokey has used traditional methods to produce upwards of 1,000 boats of all types, including two schooners. He is renowned as the builder of the J&B, the last of the two masted schooners to be built in the province. As a craftsman, Mr. Vokey may now be among the last of the traditional Newfoundland and Labrador boat builders.

Malcolm "Max" Winters is well-known as a leader in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, in particular within the realm of sport and recreation. Over the past 40 years, he has devoted many hours towards the improvement of his community. He has introduced, and contributed to, a wide range of worthwhile projects and events. Notably, through Mr. Winters� efforts, much needed sport and recreation infrastructure has been established.

When the world came to a virtual standstill on September 11, 2001, approximately 6,000 airline passengers were diverted to Gander. One of those passengers was Shirley Brooks-Jones from Columbus, Ohio. She has created a lasting tribute to the people of Lewisporte for their kindness under such extraordinary circumstances, including a scholarship fund for graduates of Lewisporte Collegiate.