ICYMI: St. Marys resident Gwen Ament receives King Charles III Coronation Medal….. Check In

Gwen’s leadership to our community has been truly remarkable,’ said Al Strathdee, Mayor of the Town of St. Marys and one of the people who nominated her

Matthew Rae, MPP for Perth-Wellington had the honour of presenting the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal to Town of St. Marys resident Gwen Ament on the evening of March 11, 2025. The presentation took place in the St. Marys Council Chambers surrounded by Gwen’s family, Council, and the public.

Gwen has been a very active member of our community for a number of years,” MPP Rae said. “It is people like Gwen that make our communities stronger and more welcoming. To be one of only 30,000 recipients across all of Canada is truly a testament Gwen’s impact in St. Marys, Ontario, and Canada.”

To be eligible for the King Charles III Coronation Medal one must have made significant contributions to the country, Ontario, region or community, or an achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada, and was alive on May 6, 2023.

“Gwen’s leadership to our community has been truly remarkable,” said Al Strathdee, Mayor of the Town of St. Marys. “She has touched the lives of so many citizens and continues to be a role model for all. We are thrilled that Gwen has been recognized for her volunteer work and commitment to humanity.”

Gwen was nominated by Al Strathdee, Mayor of the Town of St. Marys, Paul Dunseith, and MPP Rae for her charitable work and leadership in our community.

“It was with great honour that I accepted the King Charles III Coronation Medal on March 11, and I thank those who nominated me,” Gwen said. “Community has always been important to me largely because I feel very fortunate to be living in such a beautiful country with the privileges that I have. My nature is to work collaboratively bringing people together in endeavours that result in healthy, joyful, community.

Together, our town of St. Marys settled three Syrian refugee families,” Gwen added. “And together, we’ve welcomed upwards of fifteen families fleeing Ukraine. How could we not? Building the right relationships is so important and includes our learning and growing in understanding be that of the refugees, Indigenous peoples or those who face challenges of ability, finances, or human sexuality and I remain committed to creating opportunities for everyone to feel that there is a place at the table for them.

“I am so very thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to work on these issues in the company of those eager to help. One of my favourite song lines is ‘Did you put more love in the world today?’ and I hope that our answer can always be yes.”