Marion Timmins, a well known promoter of participation in senior activities which keep them active whether playing cards, skating or playing shuffleboard, has received recognition from the Ontario Senior Games Association at their Annual Meeting in Toronto on October 17.
The Bob Secord Award of Excellence has been awarded since 1994 to worthy seniors across the province who are nominated by their local district for exceptional contributions to their local senior activities. It is named for a former Deputy Minister of Sports and Recreation who was foremost in setting up government assistance to promote competition province wide for seniors. Each year two people receive this award.
Marion traveled by train to Toronto with her long time friend Eleanor Wright so we will hope hear stories of their exciting trip .Be sure to congratulate her for receiving this honour. Previous local winners were her sister-in -law Jean Neilson in 2007 and Ray Barr in 2009.
Besides being a tireless worker for the Women’s Institute organization,holding offices in local up to provincial levels, she is also a volunteer at the Almonte Hospital Gift shop and serves on the Volunteer Services committee.
However her nomination was mainly for the Senior Games activities so that began in 2003 when she joined District 9. In order to make it easier to travel and organize games, she and a few others worked hard to convince the upper levels that a separate district should be formed in this area ,resulting in the formation of District 7A in 2008 which covers Mississippi Mills, Carleton Place and parts of Beckwith and Lanark Highlands. She served as President for the first 2 years and then worked hard as chair of Fund Raising. However it is her special ability to twist arms and recruit officers where she really shines. It’s difficult to turn her down!
She also lobbies for any improvements for seniors and is not shy about voicing her opinion.
She learned to play Bid euchre through the senior games and is a keen player, traveling to Tatlock & Hopetown, even on snowy nights!
She and her husband Bert have 3 children, 10 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. They have traveled extensively,even when farming full time, and just this year Marion went to Iceland with her granddaughter when Bert chose to stay at home. She is an example to all seniors as she goes through the ups and downs of life. Her motto “Live each day to the fullest!”
