Donald Richard McDonald, 84, of Quadra Island, has received pretty much every military commendation available to a Veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Well, as of Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, he’s got yet another.
“When I found out, I told them if it was another medal, I was going to pin it to my shirt tales,” he joked, “because I don’t have any more room on my jacket.”
McDonald was the one of the 2014 recipients of the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation for continuing to provide outstanding service to their country, their communities and their fellow veterans.
Although McDonald retired from the Armed Forces in 1978 after serving in the Korean War, he has continued to serve his country and community, first by saving his branch of the Royal Canadian Legion (237, Marmora, Ont.) from closing, and then going on to serve four terms as president of the branch. While president, he realized the branch building was on Crown land, and set out to purchase it by “Walking his age” every year for seven years along with Branch members and his local community, raising the $30,000 needed to purchase the land from the government.
He has also served as North Vancouver Island Zone commander (where he oversaw the operation of nine branches), sat on the BC/Yukon Command Provincial Council and as a BC/Yukon Command Executive officer as the Honours Awards Chairman.
At Branch 154 on Quadra Island, where he now calls home, McDonald has served as sergeant-at-arms, Poppy Committee chair, and also chaired a committee that constructed a wheelchair ramp for the organization.
He also worked with CFB Comox engineers in the construction of a cenotaph, fixed the branch’s fire doors, organizes Remembrance Day ceremonies, and was the chairman of the Quadra Island Cemetery Board of Trustees for four years.
So you could say he’s kept himself busy in his retirement.
“But after 28 years and nine days in the service,” he said, “I didn’t leave the army just to sit in meetings,” he laughed about all his volunteer work.
He and his wife decided they wanted to travel the world together, which they did until her death two years ago this November.
He now heads home to his property on Quardra to figure out his next community project.
Maybe whatever that ends up being will earn him the Donald McDonald commendation that is yet to be established, since he’s got the rest of them already.