Romeo LaFrance presented with UCT Fraternalist of the Year award
Published Wednesday August 20th, 2008
With friends, family members, Town Council members and fellow UCT Club members gathered in the Grand Falls Town Hall's meeting room on Aug. 12, a founding member of the local UCT Club Council 854 was honoured for his many years of devoted service and committment to the local organization as well as the community. Also attending the event were members of the Grand Falls Town Council and members of the Edmundston Madawaska UCT Club.
Roméo LaFrance was honoured with the 2008 Fraternalist of the Year award by the Order of United Commercial Travelers of America which has 356 Councils and 100,000 members throughout Canada and the United States. LaFrance, who was unable to attend the award ceremony held during the UCT's 121st Supreme Council session in Denver, Colorado in July, was presented with the award by Jimmy Doucet/, the UCT's Atlantic Grand Counselor.
"The recipient of the Fraternalist of the Year award is generally kept a secret until the end of the Fraternalist of the Year report," stated Doucet. "However, due to health reasons, this year's honouree was unable to be with us at the Supreme session. Our honouree is aware that he has been selected as the 2008 Fraternalist of the Year and he is deeply honoured and touched."
"All those who know him would agree that Romeo's outgoing personality, enthusiasm, leadership skills and dedication to his family, community and UCT embody the spirit of people helping people. His capacity for caring and sharing and inspiring others is known inside his Council and his community. A founding member of Council 854, he has been involved with UCT for 48 years and is considered by his fellow members to be one of the Council's cornerstones. He has twice served through the local line of officers and has been an active member of the executive committee for many years. He is currently the Council's Chaplain. Council 854 has honoured him with its local Fraternalist of the Year award for his exceptional contributions and in 2004, he was named the Atlantic Grand Council's Fraternalist of the Year. Little wonder his fellow members refer to him as Mr. UCT," Doucet added.
A great honour
In accepting his award, LaFrance thanked his family and members of UCT Council 854 as well as all those who worked hard towards the awards which the local Council received both at the Atlantic and Supreme levels. "It is a great honour for me and it will remain here," he stated while putting his right hand over his heart.
"I want to thank all of my fellow UCT members who helped in any way in the past. I thank the Supreme members for choosing me for this award. I also want to thank Jimmy Doucet for representing us so well in Denver. He called me from Denver to tell me about the award and eight other UCT members who were there spoke to me over the phone and offered their congratulations. It was very heart-warming. I am still proud of my 48 years as a UCT member. I did my part as did many others."
Very worthwhile
"I am very happy to be here tonight to congratulate Romeo. When I was mayor and Romeo was a police officer, we worked together and I came to respect him. He is a man, in all his simplicity, who is very welcoming and who can talk to kids. What he has accomplished during his life is extraordinary," stated Grand Falls, Drummond and St. André MLA and Minister of Agriculture and Aquaculture Ronald Ouellette.
"It is individuals like him who are the cornerstone of the Grand Falls UCT Club. It is remarkable what this organization has done within the community. I have been a UCT member since 1974 and I was active in my time. I have always had great respect for the UCT because of what it has accomplished in the community and with people like Jim Doucet and the position he now holds at the Atlantic level. I am very happy and honoured to see Romeo receive this recognition," Ouellette added.
"I truly believe that you could not have chosen a better man to receive this high honour," stated Grand Falls Mayor Marcel Deschênes. "In life, we often say ‘He was a good guy!' after a person has passed away. In this case, he is still among us. He is still in good health and for him to receive such an honour, I believe it is very worthwhile."
"You made us enjoy many beautiful evenings. You made us laugh and even cry. We cried because we were laughing so much. When we think back to the many hours that Romeo gave to our community, we can work up to 100 years and we will not have been able to give as much as Romeo to the community. I have seen him finish his shift when he was a police officer, and immediately put on his Santa Claus suit to visit children and seniors. He had not slept nor seen his family. With his big heart, he was always ready to serve. Despite not seeing him for very long periods during this time, his family has always loved him and supported Romeo in his endeavours.
When he says thank you to his family, they have always been an integral part in everything he has accomplished," stated Deschênes who also took the opportunity to thank the Edmundston UCT Club members for being present.
Local Council also honoured
Congratulations were also given by the Order of United Commercial Travelers of America to Council 854 for attaining second place in achieving a membership gain during the 2007-2008 membership year in the 101-399 member division. Also, Council 854 was also awarded a "gold" status in the Order's Medal of Honour Program and a $750 cheque for its achievement. The local Council was also included among a total of four winners in the International Safety Poster Contest.
"Out of 26 recipients to the May.E. Tisdale Educational Trust Fund, two were from Council 854. Julien and Kyle Bellefleur each received a $500.00 bursary," stated Doucet.
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