The CCA is proud to have a national awards recognition program that honours outstanding achievements and contributions by Canadian camp leaders, camps, associations and institutions.
The CCA Awards Program recognizes individuals, camps, agencies or corporations. Written or online nominations from any member of the CCA (including individuals) are submitted by October 31 for consideration at the last scheduled meeting of the year of the CCA Board. Once approved by the Board, the awards are presented by a member of the CCA Board at a Provincial Camping Association’s annual meeting or other suitable gathering. The names of the recipients are added to the CCA Honour Roll.
Ron Johnstone Lifetime Achievement Award
Ron Johnstone’s contributions to the Canadian Camping Association and the camping movement in Canada throughout his lifetime were immeasurable.
A Past President of the CCA, Ron also served as CCA Treasurer. He was a Past President of the Ontario Camping Association and along with his wife Mickey, an Honorary Life Member of the OCA. The OCA honours Ron, along with Mickey, with the annual presentation of the Ron & Mickey Johnstone Youth Leadership Award.
Ron’s professional career highlights included the management and direction of Camp White Bear in Temagami; Executive Administrator at Camp Tawingo; Principal of Micron Consulting; Managing Director of Campground Consultants of Canada and work with various YMCAs in Canada in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Ron’s passionate work on behalf of camping and recreation in Canada included leadership with the National Sport and Recreation Centre; XV Winter Olympics; Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association and Canoe Canada.
Beyond all of his many accomplishments, perhaps what people remember most about Ron was his easygoing manner and incomparable smile as he gave so willingly of his time and talent. The CCA celebrates Ron’s extraordinary legacy with the Ron Johnstone Lifetime Achievement Award.
The RON JOHNSTONE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD is the Canadian Camping Association’s way of recognizing outstanding commitment over a prolonged period of time to the CCA.
Past recipients:
- 1995 Jane McCutcheon, OCA
- 2000 Kim Strachan, MCA
- 2002 John Jorgenson, OCA
- 2007 Jocelyn Palm, OCA
- 2008 Dave Stevens, BCCA
- 2009 Kirk Wipper, OCA
- 2010 Larry & Pearl Bell, OCA
- 2011 Jeff Bradshaw, OCA
- 2013 Donna Wilkinson, SCA
- 2016 Joe Kronick, OCA
- 2017 Skip Connett, OCA
- 2018 Catherine Ross, OCA
- 2019 Jacqui Raill, ACQ
Jack Pearse Award of Honour
Jack Pearse spent his entire career in youth work, education and camping. He founded Camp Tawingo in Huntsville, Ontario in 1960. He served as President of the Ontario Camping Association, the Canadian Camping Association, and the American Association of Independent Camps. In addition, he was a Steering Committee member for the Third International Camping Congress. Jack was instrumental in the formation of The International Camping Fellowship and served as the Chair for many years.
A founding faculty member of the University of Waterloo Recreation Department, Jack authored many camp-related books and recorded two cassette tapes and one CD of Camp songs. He conducted leadership workshops on Camping, Outdoor Education, and Recreation in Canada, the United States, Japan, Russia, Venezuela, Australia, Colombia, and Greece.
The JACK PEARSE AWARD OF HONOUR shall be presented in recognition of a person’s contribution to the Canadian Camping Association. This award is intended to recognize individuals, camps, agencies or corporations who have through their efforts provided outstanding service to the national organization.
Past recipients:
- 1977 Adele Ebbs, OCA
- 1977 Barry Lowes, OCA
- 1977 Bill Swift, OCA
- 1977 Ron Johnstone, OCA
- 1977 Clifford Labbett, OCA
- 1977 May Brown, BCCA
- 1977 Barbara Taylor, NFLCA
- 1977 Grant McKeen, BCCA
- 1977 Bryan Graham, OCA
- 1979 David Boston, CANS
- 1979 Gary Luthy, ACA
- 1979 Nestor Kelba, ACA
- 1979 Lorne Bowering, BCCA
- 1979 Jack Pearse, OCA
- 1982 Brian Blackstock, OCA
- 1983 Rosaire Corbin, ACQ
- 1985 George Ross, OCA
- 1985 Ken Willis, ACQ
- 1985 George Matthews, CANS
- 1985 Terry Burkholter, MCA
- 1985 Marnie Ellis, ACQ
- 1985 Judy Richards, OCA
- 1985 Wendy Wren, OCA
- 1985 Jan James, ACA
- 1988 John Jorgenson, OCA
- 1988 Jane McCutcheon, OCA
- 1988 Gerard Bachand, ACQ
- 1990 Patti Thom, OCA
- 1992 Mike Walters, ACA
- 1992 Jean Funk, ACA
- 1993 Wilfred Jackson, CAN
- 1993 Skip Connett, OCA
- 1993 Janet Adamson, OCA
- 1993 Bob Smith, OCA
- 1993 Jocelyn Palm, OCA
- 1993 Bob Picken, MCA
- 1994 Reverend Canon David Hartry, CANS
- 1995 Eileen Mayotte, SCA
- 1997 Cal Sparks, NFLCA
- 1998 Trent University Archives (Bernadine Dodge, Archivist)
- 2002 Bob Smith, OCA
- 2008 Dr. Stephen Fine, OCA
- 2009 Friends of We Care, CCA
- 2010 International Camping Fellowship
- 2011 Owen Fraser, NBCA
- 2012 Brian Ward-Hall, BackCheck
- 2012 Dr. Troy Glover, University of Waterloo
- 2013 Peter Gilbert & Bruce Hodgins, OCA
- 2014 Mike Stewart, OCA
- 2016 Mark Diamond, OCA
- 2017 Harry & Gail Edwards, BCCA
- 2017 Gabrielle Raill, ACQ
- 2019 Sari Grossinger, OCA
- 2019 Howie Grossinger, OCA
Award of Excellence
The CCA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE shall be the Canadian Camping Association’s way of recognizing a person’s contribution to camping within their province. The award is intended to recognize individuals, volunteers, camps, agencies or corporations who have made outstanding (i.e., beyond the norm) contributions within their province.
Past recipients:
1970 – 1979
- 1979 Jack Pearse, OCA
1980 – 1989
- 1981 Frances Kelly, ACQ
- 1981 Hank Roessingh, ACA
- 1982 Murray Wickwire, CANS
- 1982 John Eberhard, OCA
- 1982 Bob Cameron, NBCA
- 1983 Rick Ryan, ACQ
- 1983 Wayne Perkins, ACA
- 1983 Derek Walsh, ACQ
- 1983 Abe Goss
- 1983 John Latimer (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Barbara Ebbs (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Howard Rosenthal (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Henri Audet (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Al Goodman (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Barbara Gilchrist (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Craig Copland (ICC 1983)
- 1983 David Sands (ICC 1983)
- 1983 June Labbett (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Janet Adamson (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Jeff Reading (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Kristy Griffiths (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Jack Murdock (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Fred Okada (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Marilee Tisdall (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Joanne Dwhytie (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Ron Johnstone (ICC 1983)
- 1983 Marjorie Booth (ICC 1983)
- 1987 David Sands, OCA
- 1989 Diane Blair, OCA
1990 – 1999
- 1990 Eddie Bauer Inc., OCA
- 1990 Dale Parizeau Inc., OCA
- 1990 Jean McIlwrick, OCA
- 1990 Sally Moore, OCA
- 1990 Calvin Desmarais, MCA
- 1990 Dave and Alfreda Loewen, MCA
- 1991 Norma Lloyd, CANS
- 1991 Elayne Mott, CANS
- 1991 Rhoda Day, CANS
- 1991 Blanche Potter-Creighton, CANS
- 1991 Edith Roy, CANS
- 1992 Roger Schoebar, BCCA
- 1992 Mike Walters, ACA
- 1993 Jennifer Peron, MCA
- 1993 Sophia Tapper, MCA
- 1993 Tom Creighton, CANS
- 1993 Frank Huelin, CANS
- 1993 Liz Greenway, OCA
- 1993 Marjorie Booth, OCA
- 1993 John Jorgenson, OCA
- 1993 Ted Cole, OCA
- 1993 Patti Thom, OCA
- 1993 Barb Gilbert, OCA
- 1993 Georgina Mercer, NFLCA
- 1993 Cliff Derksen, MCA
- 1993 Bettie Lees, MCA
- 1993 Society for Manitobans with Disabilities, MCA
- 1993 Judy Shiels, MCA
- 1994 Jane McCutcheon (ICC 1994)
- 1994 Rob Heming (ICC 1994)
- 1994 Larry Bell (ICC 1994)
- 1994 Jill Dundas (ICC 1994)
- 1994 Jack Pearse (ICC 1994)
- 1994 Barb Gilbert (ICC 1994)
- 1994 Janet Adamson (ICC 1994)
- 1994 John Jorgenson (ICC 1994)
- 1994 Dorothy Walter (ICC 1994)
- 1994 Davida Mackay, CANS
- 1994 Megan Jentz, CANS
- 1994 Bob Schwartzenberger, ACA
- 1994 Catherine Ross, OCA
- 1994 Allan Nelson, OCA
- 1994 LaVerne Jantz, SCA
- 1995 Penny Wingert, SCA
- 1995 Jean-Marie Boutin, SCA
- 1995 Jim Blake, OCA
- 1995 David Godwin, SCA
- 1995 Camp Chief Hector, ACA
- 1996 Skip Connett, OCA
- 1996 Joe Kronick, OCA
- 1996 Larry Bell, OCA
- 1996 Kim Smith, OCA
- 1996 Judy May, NLCA
- 1996 Linda Stonehouse
- 1996 Marion Ronalds
- 1997 Marguerite Mahoney, NFLCA
- 1997 Levi Mahaney, NFLCA
- 1997 Chesley Tuck, NFLCA
- 1997 Gordon Giles, NFLCA
- 1997 Alonzo Normore, NFLCA
- 1998 Felix Tillmans, SCA
- 1998 Deirdre Speers, BCCA
- 1998 Jack Way, BCCA
- 1998 Mary Casey, OCA
- 1998 Jill Dundas, OCA
- 1998 Bruce Hodgins, OCA
- 1998 Ellen Nash, OCA
- 1999 John Marshall, OCA
- 1999 Howard Oretsky, OCA
- 1999 G. B. Catering, OCA
2000 – 2009
- 2000 Dave Stevens, BCCA
- 2000 Camp Sasamat, BCCA
- 2001 Fiora Hawryluk, OCA
- 2001 Jack Potter, CANS
- 2001 Carol Voorhoeve, BCCA
- 2001 Joyce Fromson, MCA
- 2002 Winnipeg Free Press
- 2006 LaVerne Jantz, SCA
- 2006 Dan Krestinski, BCCA
- 2006 Kirk Potter, BCCA
- 2007 Simon Adams, BCCA
- 2007 Barb & Peter Gilbert, OCA
- 2007 Piston Ring, MCA
- 2007 Russell Prime, CANS
- 2007 Jim Ryan, MCA
- 2007 Steve Schwartz, MCA
- 2007 Geraldine Sherman, CANS
- 2007 Stillwood Camp and Conference Centre, BCCA
- 2007 The Winnipeg Foundation, MCA
- 2008 Jill Jamieson, ACA
- 2008 Doug Saul, ACA
- 2008 Manitoba Culture Heritage Tourism & Sport, MCA
- 2008 Rejean Roy (ICC 2008)
- 2008 Jacqui Raill (ICC 2008)
- 2008 François Vézina (ICC 2008)
- 2008 Pierre Langevin (ICC 2008)
- 2008 Luc Pepin (ICC 2008)
- 2008 Yves Dubois (ICC 2008)
- 2008 Francois Cloutier (ICC 2008)
- 2008 Sylvain Proulx (ICC 2008)
- 2009 Lower Mainland Camping Bureau, BCCA
- 2009 Surrey Association of Community Living, BCCA
- 2009 Burnaby Camping Bureau, BCCA
- 2009 David Woolven, BCCA
- 2009 Brenda McFarlane, NBCA
2010 -
- 2010 Karen Blake, Newfoundland & Labrador
- 2010 CKNW Orphans Fund, British Columbia
- 2010 Steve Heming, Ontario
- 2010 Bob Howell, Nova Scotia
- 2010 Christine Long, Nova Scotia
- 2010 Heather MacDonald, Nova Scotia
- 2010 Union Gospel Mission, British Columbia
- 2011 Malcolm Turner, Newfoundland & Labrador
- 2011 The Vancouver Sun & Province, British Columbia
- 2011 RBC Foundation, British Columbia
- 2011 Dave Larsen, Alberta
- 2011 Andrea Koehle Jones, National
- 2012 Arthur Loewen, British Columbia
- 2012 Lyle & Beverley Beswitherick, Manitoba
- 2012 Kim Scherger, Manitoba
- 2012 Kim Coursey, Manitoba
- 2013 Bronco Cathcart, British Columbia
- 2013 Gene Krahn, British Columbia
- 2013 Mike Nelson, Alberta
- 2013 Don & Carolyn Sedgwick, Quebec
- 2015 Melanie Dash, Nova Scotia / Prince Edward Island
- 2015 Mike LeDuc, Nova Scotia / Prince Edward Island
- 2015 Patti Sampson, Nova Scotia / Prince Edward Island
- 2015 Al Vetter, British Columbia
- 2015 Maya & Dave Willis, Quebec
- 2016 Nick Kitchen, New Brunswick
- 2016 Kathy Koehler, Alberta
- 2016 Howard Martin, Quebec
- 2016 Rob Tiessen, British Columbia
- 2017 Shauna Joyce, Quebec
- 2018 Neita Avery, Manitoba
- 2019 Andy Renton, British Columbia
- 2019 Paul Bailey, British Columbia
- 2019 Jonathan Nyquist, Ontario
Special Recognition Awards
From time to time, at the discretion of the Canadian Camping Association’s Board of Directors, special recognition may be given to those individuals, camps, associations or corporations that have furthered the camping movement and/or made a unique contribution to Canadian camping.
Past recipients:
CCA PRESIDENT EMERITUS/HONORARY PRESIDENT
- 1936 Mary S. Edgar
- 1936 A.L. Cochrane
- 1950 Taylor Statten
- 1977 F.M. Van Wagner
- 1996 Jack Pearse
CCA HONOURARY MEMBERSHIPS
- 1977 Thomas Curtin, American Camping Association
- 1979 John Howe, American Camping Association
- 1981 Betty van der Smissen, American Camping Association
- 1983 Jean McMullan, American Camping Association
- 1987 Dick Chamberlain, American Camping Association
- 1988 Edie Klein, American Camping Association
- 1988 Armand Ball, American Camping Association
- 1989 Chuck Ackenbom, American Camping Association
- 1994 Connie Coutellier, American Camping Association
- 2008 Peg Smith, American Camp Association
- 2011 Deb Bialeschki, American Camp Association
- 2018 Valery Kostin, International Camping Fellowship
CCA NATIONAL INSURANCE COMMITTEE
- 2005 Skip Connett, Ontario
- 2005 Larry Bell, Ontario
- 2005 Joe Kronick, Ontario
- 2005 Kim Smith, Ontario
- 2005 Nancy Brown, Ontario
LETTER FROM THE CCA PRESIDENT
- 1995 Darin Hyde, Newfoundland
- 1998 Jeff Bradshaw, Ontario
- 2001 Ron Hoskyn, British Columbia
- 2001 Carole Voorhoeve, British Columbia
- 2007 Margo Clark, Ontario
- 2008 Brandon McClounie, British Columbia
- 2008 Mike Stewart, Ontario
- 2008 Sam Butcher, Ontario
- 2008 Kathryn Rambow, Alberta
- 2008 Carrie McEwen, Alberta
- 2008 Éric Beauchemin, Quebec
- 2014 Craig Perlmutter, Ontario
- 2015 Stephen Green, Ontario
SPECIAL RECOGNITION PLAQUE
- 2017 Julia Wagg, Ontario
- 2019 Joe Richards, Ontario
Nominate Someone
Written nominations from any member of the CCA (including individuals) are submitted by October 31 for consideration by the CCA Board.
Please note that nominations for a camp or an organization must come from an external source.
Once approved by the Board, the awards are presented by a member of the CCA Board at a Provincial Camping Association’s annual meeting or suitable gathering. The names of the recipients are added to the CCA Honour Roll.