Tragically Hip guitarist Rob Baker, BFA’86, and dedicated volunteer Carol Allison-Burra, Arts’68, are being honoured by the Kingston Branch of the Queen’s University Alumni Association.
Rob will receive the Padre Laverty Award, which is given to a Queen’s graduate for outstanding service to Queen’s and the Kingston community. Carol, a former Kingston city councillor and Queen’s adjunct assistant psychiatry professor, will receive the Jim Bennett Achievement Award, which honours Kingstonians for outstanding achievements in careers, sport, the arts, or volunteer endeavours, contributing to the betterment of Queen’s or Kingston.
Rob is being honoured both for his musical career and for the smaller things he does for the community that often goes unnoticed, such as manning a Salvation Army kettle during the Christmas holidays or serving as a judge at Queen’s Three-Minute Thesis contest. Rob is a big supporter of the Kingston arts communities and often attends fundraisers and shows. The proud Queen’s alumnus can often be found at Richardson Stadium cheering on the Gaels.“Rob Baker may be a famous rock star but he has never forgotten his Kingston and Queen’s roots. Carol is a deserving recipient because she dedicates so much time to various charities and volunteer organizations. I commend her efforts to help people with mental health issues,” says Kingston Branch president Lee Wetherall.
Carol, a registered therapist and social worker, has a long history of volunteering with many Kingston community groups, including the Kingston Police Services Board, Seniors Association (Kingston), Opportunities Kingston, and District Health Council. She is the former president of the Canadian Association of Police Boards who lobbied for more resources for police to better deal with calls involving mentally ill individuals.
The pair will be honoured at the Padre Laverty & Jim Bennett Achievement Awards Dinner on May 7 at Ban Righ Hall.
