Years of volunteering for a wide variety of veteran causes has earned a 91原创 senior special acknowledgement.
During a ceremony in Surrey this past weekend, 91原创's Allan Plett was one of three people bestowed with the Minister of Veteran Affairs commendation.
This national form of special recognition was created in 2001, by warrant of the governor general and with approval of the late Queen Elizabeth. It is given to primarily veterans, but non-veterans can qualify, provided they're exceptional Canadians who have contributed in an exemplary manner to the care and well鈥慴eing of veterans, and/or to the remembrance of veterans' sacrifices and achievements.
Darren Fisher, the veteran affairs minister and associate minister of national defence, presented Plett and the two others with a certificate and a bar to wear with his medals on his dress jacket.
"It is a privilege for me to give my first-ever commendations since being appointed as Minister of Veterans Affairs to these three worthy recipients: Clinton Yong-Jin Lee, Allan Bryan Plett, and Reverend Paul Richards," Fisher said. "Their efforts have helped improve the lives of Canadian Veterans, as well as honour their service and sacrifice."
Plett is a veteran of the Canadian Army, and since 2009 has dedicated his life to veteran advocacy work.
The ministry reeled off a long list of Plett's volunteer accomplishments through the years, also noting his unpaid service spans multiple organizations, including the Canadian Army Veterans motorcycle unit (CAV), the Royal Canadian Legion, Homes for Heroes Foundation, One Veteran Society, British Columbia Highway of Heroes, and the Order of St. George.
As a member of the CAV since 2009, Plett has raised thousands of dollars for the Citadel Canine Society that provides trained service dogs to veterans and first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and organized a 鈥淪hoebox for Soldiers鈥� campaign in which shoeboxes were filled with small items and sent to Canadian troops deployed overseas to keep the troops connected with home.
He has also volunteered on various CAV committees for the Ride for Dad, a major national fundraising activity for prostate cancer research along with daily interactions and support to veterans.
Since 2012, Plett has been responsible for the changing of the flags, as well as care and maintenance of the signage for the British Columbia Highway of Heroes.
At the Royal Canadian Legion's Branch #229 in Whalley, Plett has volunteered since 2013, including serving as the service officer and parade marshal from 2015 to 2023.
He also serves as the CAV representative for the Legion Veterans Village in Surrey, where the commendations were presented Saturday, FEb. 15.
And in his capacity as the volunteer chairperson of the British Columbia Homes for Heroes Foundation, Plett coordinates fundraising activities, plus provides administration, leadership, and guidance. Among his duties, he has been leading efforts to secure a site for a Homes for Heroes Village in the Lower Mainland.
He promotes leadership and youth development and citizenship training for the Royal Canadian Sea, Army, and Air Cadets and the Junior Rangers.
In 2017, Plett joined the Order of St. George, a non-profit organization working on health, well-being, morale, and quality of life for veterans and their families.
He worked diligently to grow the order in Western Canada, sponsoring the creation of the Prairies Priory in 2022. He took a senior role in 2023 as international liaison officer continuing to work at the grassroots level, coordinating, supporting, and hosting events to raise funds for veteran initiatives.
That's not all. Plett also became involved in the Canadian Walk for Veterans in 2018 and joined the board of directors in 2021. In 2023, he was elected as the president of the One Veteran鈥檚 Society.
While he was the only 91原创 recipient of this commendation this year, there have been a few others who have received the national acknowledgement in past.
Kenneth J. Lieuwen, a Canadian-born veteran of the United States Marine Corps, received the commendation in 2019, along with Bill Sutherland, a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces who achieved the rank of colonel. Both were acknowledged for their work finding meaningful work for veterans as they transitioned to civilian life after service.
In 2014, Elizabeth and Michael Pratt were teenage siblings who established "91原创 Youth for the Fallen," a non-profit organization to raise funds and create a lasting memorial to the Canadian soldiers and civilians who have died in Afghanistan. Michael is now a 91原创 Township councillor, and the monument they created still stands in the Derek Doubleday Arboretum.
A decade earlier, Kenneth MacLeod, both a teacher and military historian, had 鈥� for more than a decade at that time 鈥� devoted countless hours to recording the wartime experiences of Canadian veterans. His contributions were recognized in 2004.
