UPPER RAWDON: A dedicated firefighter from Milford has been honoured as the 2026 Municipality of East Hants Model Volunteer of the Year.
At the annual awards on April 24, held this year at the Rawdon Fire Hall, Ken Moxsom was named the recipient of the top honour. He will now be the municipality’s representative for the provincial volunteer awards.
A longtime volunteer with the East Hants Fire Service Association and current Deputy Chief of Milford Fire, Moxsom was honoured for his dedication to strengthening fire services across the municipality.
His contributions extend well beyond his own department, helping to build a more coordinated and prepared response network throughout East Hants.
Moxsom has been instrumental in organizing mutual aid training opportunities for volunteer fire departments, ensuring firefighters have access to high-quality, hands-on learning.
These sessions covered a wide range of critical topics, from vehicle extraction to recognizing and responding to domestic violence, equipping crews with the skills needed to handle complex situations.
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Speaking after receiving the award, Moxsom said he was both surprised and grateful for the recognition.
“It’s truly an honour, but this isn’t just about me,” he said.
“We have so many dedicated volunteers across East Hants who put in countless hours to serve their communities. I’m proud to be part of that team.”
He added that the strength of the local fire service comes from collaboration and a shared commitment to training and preparedness.
“All the firefighters that we have, I couldn’t do it without them,” he said. “These guys and gals are rock stars. They’re an excellent group, excellent team to work with. A lot of the credit goes towards them.”
He was hoping another volunteer, John Kingston, would be named the Model Volunteer.
Municipal volunteer firefighters were also honoured with long-service awards. We will have that in a separate story later this week.
Hants East MLA and Municipal Affairs Minister John A. MacDonald was in attendance at the ceremony.
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The evening also saw several volunteers recognized as Shining Star recipients for their contributions to the community:
Anita Benedict
Anita has been volunteering her time and talents for many years. Currently, she volunteers with the choir at the Noel United Church, as well as helping with fundraisers, auctioneering, acting, and leading services in times of need.
Anita also does Children’s Time during the service.
Beyond the church, Anita has facilitated grief workshops in the community and operated free writing workshops.
Karen Duncan
Karen volunteers with the East Hants Tigers Association, serving as their events coordinator. She also manages the U14 girls’ basketball team, and the Riverside Education Centre girls’ team.
Karen schedules all games and tournaments, organizes fund raising events, manages communication, and organizes the East Hants Tigers Awards Banquet.
John Grant
John Grant is a relatively recent volunteer to the East Hants Historical Society but comes to the group with years and years of experience and education.
Every Friday, John can be found at the EHHS research room, sorting, filing, creating finding aids, shelving and cataloguing.
John’s vast knowledge of Nova Scotian history has made him an invaluable volunteer to the society and to East Hants as a whole.
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Leanne Hanley
Leanne volunteers with the Girl Guides. Leanne stepped in to save a unit, creating a combined Guide and Pathfinder Unit, where she created a work program where girls gain leadership experience.
She dedicates time to mentoring girls on independent award work, bringing her energy, passion, and creativity to all that she does.
Last year, Leanne was awarded the Bronze Merit Award in recognition of her contributions to her community.
Danielle & Jeremy Hoffman
Danelle and Jeremy volunteer together, sharing their positive and encouraging attitudes with young athletes across the Municipality.
Danelle has been coaching ball for over 9 years and currently serves on the Executive of the Mustang Association, helping to plan and develop programs for the future.
Jeremy offers his time and skills doing field maintenance, upgrades and repairs. He coaches both ball and hockey, giving his time and talent to the youth of Mt. Uniacke.
John Kingston
John has been a member of the Uniacke & District Volunteer Fire Department for 50 years, where he currently serves as Deputy Chief.
John has received numerous decorations and acknowledgements for his service, and is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, East Hants Fire Advisory Board, and the East Hants Emergency Measures Organization.
Sheena MacAskill
Sheena is a longstanding volunteer with the East Hants Family Resource Centre, attending every event and fundraiser, and serving on the board of directors.
Her insight and input when making decisions has been incredibly valuable to the organization.
Sheena is a wholehearted worker, spending her spare time supporting her children’s activities as a parent volunteer.
Joanne Skelhorn
Joanne has dedicated her life to others and continues to do so in her retirement. She is the secretary of the Auxiliary, lending a hand whenever needed.
She also volunteers with the Noel United Church and the Noel Legion, where her friendly face is found at events, selling tickets, and making breakfast.
Joanne also serves as the treasurer of the Minasville Community Hall and is a volunteer for the Rising Tides New Horizon Centre.
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Pam Taylor
Pam has been volunteering with the East Hants Curling Association for 9 years, serving on the Board of Directors, organizing bonspiels, and initiating Stick Curling Clinics.
She spear-headed the website and email processes for the group and has been instrumental in ensuring clear lines of communication.
Caroline Travis
Caroline is a dedicated guider with her local guiding unit, joining when her kids were young.
Years later, Caroline is still guiding and goes the extra mile to connect with each youth involved. Her positive attitude and enthusiasm make her an incredibly valuable volunteer to the organization.
Pat Ward
Pat is a well-respected volunteer in the rural community, faithfully giving her time and service to many organizations.
She has volunteered with the Hants North Legion, the Hants County Exhibition for 13 years, and the Noel Fire Department Auxiliary for 4 years where she can be found selling tickets, managing social media, and even preparing food.
Rae Williams
Rae has been volunteering with the East Hants Family Resource Centre for 7 years, serving on their board of directors, and assisting with special events, fundraisers, and programs.
She brings fresh ideas to the organization, as well as energy and enthusiasm.
Rae also volunteers with Roots of Empathy and her local 4-H chapter.
Amanda Wood
Amanda volunteers with the Girl Guides, mentoring over 30 young people and even creatively combining units to ensure all girls could have the opportunity to participate.
She also volunteers with the East Hants Tigers U14 Girl’s basketball team with her husband, Ryan, and can be found on the ice with the Perky Penguins.
Also recognized, but not present to receive her award in person, was Diane Hennigar.
The annual awards highlight the vital role volunteers play across East Hants, celebrating those who go above and beyond to support and strengthen their communities.
