PORT McNEILL—Dr. Granger Avery, who helped found the Port McNeill Medical Clinic in 1974, was honoured with a pair of awards in separate ceremonies this summer.
The B.C. Medical Association conferred upon Avery the 2012 Donald B. Rix Award for Physician Leadership during its annual general meeting.
The award includes a gold medal and a $2,000 donation to the charity of the recipient’s choice.
“It came as a little surprise, I must say,” said Avery. “Last year the board conferred on me the Silver Medal of Service, and I wasn’t expecting to get the gold medal this year.
“I was quite taken aback and very honoured. Indeed, I was actually speechless for a short time, and that’s very unusual.”
Avery has also served as a member of the board, its chair and its president in his career.
Earlier, Avery was honoured with the Rural Long Service Award by the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada.
The award was presented during its 20th annual Rural and Remote Medicine Course.
To be eligible for the award the physician must have been a prior recipient of the Rural Service Award and must have worked in rural and remote Canada for at least 20 years.
Avery arrived in Port McNeill in 1974, when the town was served by a single, part-time physician and Dr. Jack Pickup, who was working out of Alert Bay.