Airdrie veteran gets Governor General’s award for volunteerism

It’s a sight you can’t miss driving along Main Street in Airdrie: a military light-armoured vehicle (LAV) just a few metres off the roadway.

And now, the man who led the effort to put it on permanent display there is getting a major award for the project, as well as for his many decades of other volunteer work.

Canadian Forces veteran Bob McNevin is receiving the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteerism.

McNevin led the drive to bring the LAV to Airdrie while he was president of the city’s branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.

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McNevin says his main motivation was to pay tribute to younger veterans, who served in places like Afghanistan.

“These men and women fought for freedom, fought against terrorism,” he said. “I’m so proud of them.”

McNevin has also spent years volunteering with organizations like the Big Brothers and ChildFind, and raising money for the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

His legion colleague and fellow veteran Bill Drummond says McNevin certainly deserves to be honoured for his volunteerism.

“It’s a very, very prestigious medal,” Drummond said. “He leads by example; when anything needs to be done, Bob’s the first man to put his name forward.”

McNevin’s son Richard served with Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, which was one of the reasons he felt strongly about getting a LAV for Airdrie.

McNevin says Richard “lost some good friends there, so this is just what one little dad can do for his son, and his friends.”

McNevin will be awarded his volunteerism medal at an Airdrie City Council meeting on Monday, March 19.