A sterling medal of national significance has been awarded to Sicamous’ Jerry Silva for his contributions to Canada.
Silva is one of 60,000 Canadians to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, an honour bestowed upon those who have “made a significant contribution to a particular province, territory, region or community within Canada, or an achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.
“In granting you this honour, I thank you for your dedicated service to your peers, to your community and to Canada,” writes Canada Governor General David Johnston in a letter accompanying the medal issued to Brig.-Gen, THM (Jerry) Silva, CD. “The contributions you have made to our nation are most commendable and deserve our praise and admiration.”
And Silva is indeed honoured. Candidates for the medal are nominated by government and non-government organizations, as well as members of the public. Silva’s nomination came from his peers with the Canadian Conference of Defence Associations, an advocacy group for the Canadian Forces that consists of 14 military member associations and 38 associate member associations. Silva was chair of the conference for two years and had been an executive member for more than a decade.
“The association is aware of my background as well, a number of years in the Forces, both the regular forces and the reserve. I joined first in 1958, so that goes back a long time,” said Silva with a laugh. “I am very pleased and honoured. I am very proud of it. I work away quietly in the background. I don’t seek out any award or recognition, I just do what I think I can do and sometimes it’s appreciated, and this is a nice recognition of that.”
Silva’s Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal will be added to his collection of four other medals, including the Order of St. John and the Canada Defence Medal for service, the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal and the Canadian Centennial Medal.
The former Sicamous councillor keeps busy these days with consultation work, and co-ordinates the emergency program for Revelstoke as well as the Shuswap Lifeboat Society, which oversees operations of the region’s new rescue boat.