St. Marys resident awarded the King Charles medal in recognition of volunteer efforts

Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae (L) presents the King Charles medal to Gwen Arment (Source: Matthew Rae/Facebook)

A St. Marys resident was presented with the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of work and leadership in her community.

Gwen Arment received the reward, presented by MPP Matthew Rae on March 11, 2025.

“Gwen has been a very active member of our community for a number of years,” MPP Rae said. “It is people like Gwen that make our communities stronger and more welcoming.”

The medal has been presented to only 30,000 people across Canada.

“Gwen’s leadership to our community has been truly remarkable,” said Al Strathdee, Mayor of the Town of St. Marys. “She has touched the lives of so many citizens and continues to be a role model for all. We are thrilled that Gwen has been recognized for her volunteer work and commitment to humanity.”

Arment has a long history of volunteer work in the community, and more recently has played a key role in resettling refugee families from Ukraine and Syria. She has also been involved in supporting local Indigenous organizations in their goal of educating the community, furthering reconciliation efforts.

“Community has always been important to me largely because I feel very fortunate to be living in such a beautiful country with the privileges that I have,” said Arment. “Building the right relationships is so important and includes our learning and growing in understanding be that of the refugees, Indigenous peoples or those who face challenges of ability, finances, or human sexuality and I remain committed to creating opportunities for everyone to feel that there is a place at the table for them.”