By Greg Fry

Retired Kamloops Mountie to receive prestigious volunteer award

Mar 12, 2018 | 11:23 AM

KAMLOOPS — A retired Kamloops RCMP officer will soon be recognized nationally for his dedicated service to the community.

Sorrento resident Reid Tait will receive the Sovereign’s Medal For Volunteers. The medal recognizes exceptional volunteer achievements from across the country and will be presented to him by Governor General Julie Payette at a ceremony at Rideau Hall on April 17.

Tait admits word of the award caught him off guard.

“Well, I was surprised because I didn’t know it was coming,” he told CFJC Today. “What happened was last year, the RCMP Veterans Association headquarters sent out a memo to presidents across Canada to suggest anybody that was deserving of the medal and that a submission should be made without the person knowing about it. And that’s what happened to me. A fellow that used to live here, ex-member Bob Ferguson, nominated me and I found out I’d been selected on Feb. 14.”

Tait says he’s been volunteering since he was a teenager and has been giving up his time ever since. Some of the recent highlights include volunteering for the BC Summer Games, the Western Canada Summer Games, the Special Olympics, the Seniors Games, and most recently the BC Winter Games.

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“I just enjoy working with the participants and the other people. I mean when you go on a board most of the planning takes two to three years and it’s getting to know different people and how different people react, how people deal and I just have a great time and thanks to my family they’ve allowed me to do that.”

As far as he knows, he’s the only RCMP veteran in Canada that’s getting the award this year.

“I’m excited and I’m nervous. But like I’ve always said on anything you do, if you’re a little nervous it makes it that much better.”