THUNDER BAY – Lakehead Public Schools and two staff members were honoured with the Canadian Forces Liaison Council Employer Recognition Award on Monday.
Lieut.-Col. Darla Oja, commanding officer of 38 Service Battalion with the Canadian Armed Forces, presented the award to Eric Fredrickson, principal of program department and early years, and Jessica Murphy, human resources officer.
The award was presented in recognition of the school board’s ongoing support of 38 Service Battalion’s Regimental Sergeant Major, Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Hotrum, who is employed by Lakehead Public Schools. Hotrum nominated the board for the honour for demonstrating flexibility with respect to granting temporary leaves to serve in the military in several roles.
“It all comes down to the amount of support I received from Lakehead District School Board over my pretty close to 20-year career with them,” he said,
“A month off for a course, if I don’t get that leave, then maybe I’m not where I am today, as well all the extended leaves they have provided over the last 18 months in regards to the pandemic response and the vaccine roll-out – it’s really helped us.”
With the temporary leaves of absence from his school board position, Hotrum was able to further his military training and participate in the CAF's pandemic response.
“”I’ve worked with Andrew in a couple of different schools and when we first worked together, I learned about his military service and his involvement,” said Fredrickson,
"We got to know each other and talked a little bit about his work with the military and of course it’s very easy to say yes for that kind of work because it’s so important.”
Most recently, Hotrum acted as the local liaison and coordinator for military response and support of vaccinations being delivered to remote Northern Ontario communities.
