AMHREST – After committing his career to serving his community, peers and country, Const. Derrah ‘Junior’ Reid was honoured with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal last week in a special ceremony in Halifax.
The award, Reid said, was a complete surprise. The ceremony was set up for Reid to surprise his fellow officers with their awards and at the end, they got him back by awarding him one of his own.
“I was going to present (my peers) with their medals but I didn’t know I was going to get one,” said Reid. “I didn’t know about it until I got there.”
Reid said seven of his fellow officers received medals before they announced that he too was receiving one.
“They saved mine until last,” he said with a chuckle. “I thought we were done for the evening. I reached the end (of my program) and all of a sudden, another guy gets up to speak and I’m thinking, ‘Hold on, this isn’t on my sheet’.”
The whole experience, Reid said, was very humbling.
“It’s a huge honour, and humbling because I went from being a presenter (of the award) to being presented one.”
Over the years, Reid has coached softball, been involved with the Shriners, Nova Scotia Highlanders and was also previously involved with the Cerebral Palsy Association.
With four years left until he plans to retire, Reid said he is looking forward to settling down. In fact, he has a few goals he hopes to achieve once he leaves the police force.
“I have to improve my golf game,” he said. “I’m looking forward to retiring, golfing in the summer time and beating my son at golf and curling in the winter. That’s going to be my life, I hope.”
Along with Const. Reid, officer Doug Williams, of Springhill, was also honoured with the Queen’s Medal.
jturner@amherstdaily.com
