The Waterloo Coin Society (WCS) has been named the 2019 “Club of the Year” by the Ontario Numismatic Association (ONA).
The award will be presented once the pandemic-related social restrictions are further eased, according to ONA President Scott Douglas.
Drawing members from outside of Ontario, as well as beyond Canada’s borders, the WCS was founded in 1959 by long-time numismatist Bill English. The club is a long-time chapter of the ONA and Royal Canadian Numismatic Association (RCNA) and a more recent addition to the U.S.-based Central States Numismatic Association.
To read more about the WCS, see CCN Vol. 57 #1 (“WCS celebrates 60 years alongside local dignitaries”) for a full story highlighting the club’s history.
LITERARY AWARD, PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS
Despite cancelling its annual convention and postponing its top awards until next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ONA also went ahead with its President’s Literary Award and Presidential Awards this June.
These awards, which typically come in the form of a medal and a certificate, will also be presented at a later date.
Ron Cheek, of Collingwood, Ont., won this year’s President’s Literary Award for his “brilliantly written and well-illustrated” article on the HMS Repulse 1939 royal tour medal, Douglas said.
Cheek’s article was featured in the March-April 2019 issue of The Ontario Numismatist.
Four Presidential Awards, which are presented at the sole discretion of the ONA president, were also given to “individuals who display exceptional ability and dedication in furthering the advancement of the Ontario Numismatic Association’s role as a leader in Canadian numismatics,” Douglas said.
This year’s recipients are:
- Judy Blackman, long-time editor of The Ontario Numismatist;
- Bob Fritsch, a frequent speaker at the ONA Convention’s educational symposium;
- CCN reporter Jesse Robitaille, whose “above-and-beyond approach, positive comments and willingness to work with our organization to get it right” were praised by Douglas; and
- Len Trakalo, who has played an active role with the ONA for several decades.
AWARD OF MERIT & FELLOWS
Due to the pandemic, the ONA postponed handing out its top honour, the Award of Merit, which was launched in 1962.
The association also inducted no new fellows—a first since launching the Fellow of the ONA honour in 1994.
The 2021 ONA Convention will be held at the Holiday Inn in Burlington on April 9-11, 2021.
To read the full story (CCN Vol. 58 #8, ‘ONA goes ahead with some awards despite pandemic’), click here to subscribe now.