Asked about volunteerism, George Santos took a new medal from it’s protective case.
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“When I look at this medallion it has a picture of a heart and volunteerism is about love,” Santos said. “I truly believe that whoever came up with the design took the time to truly understand that volunteerism has to come from within.
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“It’s about loving the community, having passion, giving to our community, province and country.”
Santos was holding the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers that he recently received by way of courier from Governor General Mary Simon. It is 36 mm in diameter, features Queen Elizabeth II and the word Canada separated by two maple leaves. The reverse side features a large and small heart interlaced with maple leaves on the larger heart’s border.
The medal recognizes the more than three decades Santos has devoted to the community through organizations including the Knights of Columbus, the Community Council of Impaired Driving and St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
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A letter sent with the medal states that his efforts have raised money and awareness for important causes and has helped Simcoe’s Portuguese community prosper.
“The idea of sharing was something instilled in us when we were young,” Santos said. “We never went hungry but we were poor and sharing and contributing to the community was something that we just did.”
But for Santos, the first formal volunteerism began when he was a student at Simcoe Composite School.
“I had a friend who was seriously injured in a motor vehicle collision involving alcohol,” Santos said. “That was the catalyst that led to Students Against Drunk Driving.
“We started it as an after-school program with six people, that became nine, then nine became 12 and 12 then became 23.”
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The program worked out fairly well and spread through the community. The student group developed a strong relationship with an existing community group – Citizens Against Drunk driving and Santos found himself president of both organizations.
As an adult, Santos was heavily involved with Simcoe’s Friendship Festival for about three to four years. He is also a founding member of Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise and Knights of Columbus.
Santos said the Knights of Columbus, among other things, raised money and donated it to numerous causes including the transportation of students from St. Joseph’s School to St. Mary’s Catholic Church to attend mass at least once a month.
Santos had the option of receiving his medal at a ceremony in Toronto but opted to have it sent to him by way of courier.
“I’m really not a pomp and circumstance kind of guy,” Santos said.
But he wanted to share the story of receiving the medal because he has no idea who nominated him for it. The Governor General’s office can’t tell him, citing privacy concerns, and the only thing Santos knows is that the nomination was submitted a couple of years ago.
“I want to say thank you to the individual or organization that nominated me and at the same time I want to say thank you to the community,” Santos said
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