SYDNEY, N.S. — Sydney's Louise Gillis received the CNIB's highest honour earlier this month, the Arthur Napier Magill Distinguished Service Award, during the organization’s annual community meeting.
The award was named after CNIB's second CEO, Arthur Napier Magill, upon his retirement. His son, John Magill, was on hand to present the award to Gillis, along with Sydney-Whitney Pier MLA Derek Mombourquette.
"Louise Gillis exemplifies what it is to be a passionate, dedicated volunteer — in Cape Breton, throughout Nova Scotia, across Canada and internationally," said Mombourquette. “Ms. Gillis sets an exceptional example of how people across the province can give back to their community, and make Nova Scotia a better place to live.”
For more than 25 years, Gillis has been a volunteer for CNIB and the Canadian Council of the Blind. She has been a peer mentor, an advocate, an educator and motivational speaker. Gillis recently returned from China where she advised staff at the Norman Bethune International Peace Hospital about the delivery of sustainable, ongoing, mobile eye care to individuals in outlying communities.
“Louise inspires others simply by the way she lives her life,” says John Rafferty, president and CEO of the CNIB Foundation and Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada. “The work that she has done and continues to do impacts all those living with vision loss.”
CNIB is a non-profit organization that delivers programs and advocacy to empower people impacted by blindness. It was formerly known as the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. To learn more or get involved, visit cnib.ca.
RELATED:
Cape Breton rink wins national curling title
Cane and able: Blindness doesn’t stop Sydney senior from living active life
Sydney advocate for blind says ask before helping someone across the street
