Meritorious Service Medal

• Awarded on: November 20, 2020
• Invested on: March 21, 2024

James Adrian Gehrels, M.S.M. (deceased)
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Glenn C. Stronks, M.S.M.
Orillia, Ontario

Glenn Stronks and the late Jim Gehrels founded Lifewater Canada to bring clean water and adequate sanitation to communities in sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti. The organization empowers locals to construct wells and latrines that save lives and improve health, in addition to advancing girls’ education by freeing them from the arduous task of fetching water. Training in hygiene and equipment maintenance has brought sustainable change that interrupts a cycle of sickness and poverty for millions of people.