The 2011 recipients of the Order of Prince Edward Island were announced today by the Chancellor of the Order, Her Honour the Honourable Barbara A. Hagerman, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island and Mr. Maitland MacIsaac, Chair of the Order of Prince Edward Island Advisory Council.

The three Islanders selected to receive the honour are:

William C. Callbeck, Central Bedeque

Eleanor Davies, Stratford, and

Dr. David Wong, of Summerside

These three individuals were selected from a total of 55 Islanders nominated to receive the award this year.

The honour was first conferred in 1996 with six individuals invested at that time; since then there have been three Islanders invested each year. The 2010 inductees into the Order were Father Brady Smith, Charlottetown, Diane F. Griffin, Stratford; and Dr. Regis Duffy, Charlottetown.

The honour is awarded as a means of recognizing those Islanders who have shown individual excellence or outstanding leadership in their community and in their chosen occupation or profession. It is the highest honour that can be accorded to a citizen of the Province. It is awarded annually following a public nomination process with not more than three recipients being selected by an independent nine-person Advisory Council each year.Insignia of the Order will be presented by the Lieutenant Governor at a special investiture ceremony in October at Government House, Charlottetown.

Backgrounder

William Callbeck

There are people for whom volunteerism is an expression of their character and an outlet for their humanitarianism. Throughout his life, William Callbeck of Central Bedeque has been a notable presence in the community, in his church, in business circles, and in his support of worthwhile causes.

Callbeck’s involvement in Callbecks Ltd. and other businesses, as well as numerous boards and associations, has made his name known across the province. His hard work in a variety of enterprises, like his dedication to causes such as mental health, the United Church and minor hockey, has made him a needed example of someone who does not shrink from public service, but embraces it. He has given back much to Prince Edward Island, both publicly and in acts of anonymous assistance to those in need.

Callbeck speaks five languages of service: to religion, social concerns, community, commerce, and the individual. His work ethic and philanthropy are present for all to see in the landscape of rural PEI, and in the lives of his fellow citizens, employees and neighbours. William Callbeck personifies what the Order of Prince Edward Island refers to as “contributions to the social, cultural and economic life” of our Province.

Eleanor Davies

Dag Hammarskjold, a former Secretary-General of the United Nations, once said: “Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon.” With that in mind, it’s appropriate to recognize Eleanor Davies of Stratford as a recipient of the Order of Prince Edward Island.

Davies has worked as a kindergarten superintendent, a nurse, and an advocate of hospice care. In 1985 she took on the role of educator when she became a founding member of what was once known as the Island Hospice Association, which she commemorated last year in her book I Know An Angel: The First 25 Years of Hospice Palliative Care in PEI. Such is the depth of compassion for her fellow Islanders that for seven years Davies held the position of volunteer coordinator for the association without pay.

Her long career in the social and health care sector warrants her inclusion in the illustrious roll of those who have received the Order of Prince Edward Island. Davies has won many other awards, and these indicate admiration and respect for someone who has helped reduce the pain and sorrow of those who are in the last days of their lives.

Dr. David Wong

The care of our youngest Islanders has been the main concern of Dr. David Wong for over a quarter of a century. In 1986 he made Summerside his home, quickly proving indispensable to very young children, as well as their families, as the only paediatrician in the area. Without his passionate efforts and tireless dedication to health matters, Prince County Hospital would not have established a neonatal unit when it did or, in time, an Asthma Education Centre.

Wong added to his knowledge by taking instruction in neonatal resuscitation, and passed on these skills to nurses and respiratory therapists. He advocated education in this matter, as well as on breast feeding. In 1995 he set up the Dr. Wong Education Fund to provide funding to nurses so they could continue their education. In addition, Wong has written about medical matters in newspapers to reach the wider public.

His devotion to neonatal issues, asthma education and ADHD, and his participation in health care bodies such as the Premier’s Council on Healthy Child Development, have improved the lives of many children. These exceptional contributions demonstrate that Dr. David Wong matches the criteria for receipt of the Order of Prince Edward Island.