Jan Chamberlain in an undated photo (image via Brown Family Funeral Homes)
The City of Owen Sound is naming its volunteer of the year award in honour of late local resident Jan Chamberlain.
Council passed a motion from Mayor Ian Boddy at its meeting Monday to name the award after Chamberlain, who died in July at the age of 84.
Boddy described Chamberlain as a “distinguished community builder.”
“We were all saddened when Jan passed in July. And (we reflected) on the impact she had on the City of Owen Sound. Jan was a name in the community everyone knew,” Boddy says. “Her decades of service reflected her deep love of Owen Sound. She was a dedicated member of several key committees that focused on aging communities, housing, healthcare, history, tourism and community development.”
Chamberlain served as an Owen Sound city councillor from 2010-14. She was named the city’s volunteer of the year in 2008, and senior of the year in 2021.
She received a King Charles III Coronation Medal earlier this year for her community service contributions.
Boddy says Chamberlain was involved in many different activities in Owen Sound. She served as a lifeguard at Harrison Park pool as a teenager. She helped organize the city’s homecoming in 1987. Chamberlain was involved with the Community Waterfront Heritage Centre, Owen Sound housing, the Active Lifestyles Centre, and many more local organizations.
“Jan always wanted to approach everything with a positive attitude. Her devotion to our community should inspire all of us,” Boddy adds.