Tragically Hip guitarist Rob Baker, BFA鈥86, and dedicated volunteer Carol Allison-Burra, Arts鈥68, are being honoured by the Kingston Branch of the Queen鈥檚 University Alumni Association.
Rob will receive the Padre Laverty Award, which is given to a Queen鈥檚 graduate for outstanding service to Queen鈥檚 and the Kingston community. Carol, a former Kingston city councillor and Queen鈥檚 adjunct assistant psychiatry professor, will receive the Jim Bennett Achievement Award, which honours Kingstonians for outstanding achievements in careers, sport, the arts, or volunteer endeavours, contributing to the betterment of Queen鈥檚 or Kingston.
Rob is being honoured both for his musical career and for the smaller things he does for the community that often goes unnoticed, such as manning a Salvation Army kettle during the Christmas holidays or serving as a judge at Queen鈥檚 Three-Minute Thesis contest. Rob is a big supporter of the Kingston arts communities and often attends fundraisers and shows. The proud Queen鈥檚 alumnus can often be found at Richardson Stadium cheering on the Gaels.鈥淩ob Baker may be a famous rock star but he has never forgotten his Kingston and Queen鈥檚 roots. Carol is a deserving recipient because she dedicates so much time to various charities and volunteer organizations. I commend her efforts to help people with mental health issues,鈥 says Kingston Branch president Lee Wetherall.
Carol, a registered therapist and social worker, has a long history of volunteering with many Kingston community groups, including the Kingston Police Services Board, Seniors Association (Kingston), Opportunities Kingston, and District Health Council. She is the former president of the Canadian Association of Police Boards who lobbied for more resources for police to better deal with calls involving mentally ill individuals.
The pair will be honoured at the Padre Laverty & Jim Bennett Achievement Awards Dinner on May 7 at Ban Righ Hall.
