“This year has been an unusual year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, and its effect on our health system, our hospitals, our long-term care facilities, and our day-to-day services such as education, protection, and even our grocery shopping,” said Pierre Leroux, warden for the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR) during the December 17 inaugural meeting. “It is thanks to these essential service workers that our communities were able to limit the impact and the spread of the pandemic.”

As one of his last remaining duties before stepping down as warden for the UCPR, Leroux announced that the 2020 J.P. St-Pierre Memorial Award for Outstanding Community Service is dedicated to the efforts of all frontline workers, including doctors and nurses, police, paramedics, and firefighters, long-term care workers, employees in grocery stores and other businesses, teachers working online, local and regional media, and all others who continues to do their jobs to provide residents of Prescott-Russell with necessary health care, emergency protection, food, education for students, and information on both the pandemic and efforts to deal with it.

Warden Leroux also announced the recipient of the annual Warden’s Award, which honours municipal workers for exceptional service and contributions to their community. The 2020 award has two recipients, with the first nomination going to Marc-André Drouin, UCPR information technology director, for his efforts, with the aid of his staff, in helping UCPR staff and council keep in touch and continue their work online during the pandemic.

The second Warden’s Award nomination goes to the frontline and essential care staff at the Prescott-Russell Residence for their work during the pandemic to care for residents at the long-term care facility, especially under very difficult conditions.