Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher has been awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
The presentation was made June 29 at a luncheon following the Gary O’Neill Memorial Golf Tournament held at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club in Milton.
The medal was presented by Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn. The award is in recognition of Gallagher’s contributions to Canada.
Gallagher told those at the luncheon that he was honoured to receive the award.
He said he couldn’t have accomplished it without the support of the industry, the union, and late Local 793 president O’Neill, who was also his friend.
He dedicated the award to O’Neill.
“I haven’t done any of this on my own,” he told the audience. “It was done with the co-operation of a great many people, and with the support of the members of Local 793.”
Gallagher noted that two major projects – raising money to send a bulldozer to an orphanage in Kenya and raising funds to help the Red Cross support victims of an earthquake in Haiti – was done with support from the industry and from late president O’Neill.
It is the second time that Gallagher has been honoured with a Jubilee Medal. He was also a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002.
The commemorative medals are being presented throughout the year to individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities.
The medals were created to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne.
MPP Flynn told the audience that Gallagher is a leader in the construction industry and is involved in numerous charity projects.
He said a very limited number of individuals are being honoured for what they’ve done for the community.
Flynn said every so often he gets a chance to recognize someone for the work they’ve done and he was pleased to present the medal to Gallagher.
The medal itself depicts a crowned image of Queen Elizabeth II. The anniversary is expressed by the central diamond shape, by the background composed of a pattern of diamonds, and by the two dates.
The ribbon is an arrangement of the blue, red and white colours found in the 1953 Coronation Medal, the 1977 Silver Jubilee Medal, and the 2002 Golden Jubilee Medal.
The medal was designed by the Canadian Heraldic Authority and is composed of nickel silver. It was manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa.