Troy Shantz Jim Houston’s long-term contribution to the quality of life in Sarnia-Lambton is something that began as a boy.
Troy Shantz
Jim Houston’s long-term contribution to the quality of life in Sarnia-Lambton is something that began as a boy.
“My parents ingrained into my brother and myself to give back to the community,” he said in December, after receiving one of the province’s highest honours.
Houston was one of 19 citizens presented with the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship at a ceremony in Queen’s Park. The medal is bestowed for exceptional and long-term contributions to your community.
Houston’s many achievements include successfully advocating for the creation of the West Lambton Community Health Centre and the Rapids Family Health Team, two initiatives that have improved the delivery of local health care.
Houston has long fought for the rights of others.
At 19, he joined the railroad and became a train engineer. Eventually he was appointed to look after worker’s compensation claims on behalf of the Locomotive Engineers’ Union.
“It was my job to make sure that the members received their just entitlement,” he said.
To this day Houston remains involved with CN Rail through its pensioner’s organization.
Over a five-year span, Houston also advocated for workers in nine separate construction unions in London, Windsor and Sarnia.
In 1997, he joined the Lambton Seniors Association (LSA), a group he found through a friend’s recommendation.
Funded by the United Way, the association provides seniors with opportunities to participate in life-enriching projects and activities.
“I felt that I fit in with the people on the board of directors, and their goals and objectives seemed to justify my participation,” Houston said.
One projects stemmed a serious issue Sarnia-Lambton faced in the early years of this century, a shortfall of 28 family physicians.
It wasn’t easy and it took years, but the grassroots initiative eventually had an application accepted after modifying it to fall in line with the province’s Family Health Team and Community Health Centre models.
Six months later, the Rapids Family Health Team and the West Lambton Community Health Centre, (a satellite site of the North Lambton Community Health Centre) were born.
Houston is quick to point out it was a team of dedicated volunteers and not himself that achieved the success.
“I have a very high degree of respect for those that volunteer in the community,” he said.
“Despite the fact that it may seem that you’re defeated, you should stand up and be counted.”
Houston added that as a result of the medal, his former employer, CN, has provided a $12,500 grant to the Lambton Seniors Association.
