D14 wevnesDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018 MONTREAL GAZETTE Governor General's Award recognizes NOVA volunteer KATHRYN GREENAWAY Alphons Evers's volunteer work is never done. Case in point: a reporter was in the middle of ask- i ion about Evers being {t of the Governor d you hold on a minute he said. Back in interview mode, he explained that the 93-year-old caller had a question about her upcomingridetoan appointment. Evers has been driving cancer patients to appointments and co- ordinating others to do the same for NOVA West Island for14 years. The Pierrefonds resident was presented with the Governor Gen- eral’s medal honouringhis volun- teerism by Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis during the most recent regular borough council meeting. ‘Among the family members who attended the ceremony was Evers’s wife Dinny van Beest, She has been a volunteer with NOVA since 1985 and was the one who encouraged NOVA to submit her husband’s name for the honour. When Evers heard he had been chosen fortheaward, herequested that Governor General Julie Pay- ette present him with the medal. ‘There is a connection between the two, He met her during his years working as a technologist and quality-control manager with the satellite communications service MPB Communications in Pointe-Claire. MPBdoesresearch in the field of electronics for the federal government. His space connection goes back even fur- ther to the years he spent work- ingonmultiple aerospace projects withRCA Ltd, including Alouette —Canada’sfirst satellite launched into space in 1962. But the Governor General’s office informed Evers that the Governor General was very busy = there were many medals to be presented — and she would not be available for the ceremony nity service and forhumanitarian causes. Although Evers continues to drive patients when everyone elseis busy, his mainjobistoman- age the schedules for NOVA’s 60 volunteer drivers who, over the course of NOVA’s last fiscal year, donated 5,853 hours to complete 3,087 individual rides for an aver- age of 51 clients per month. Can- cer patients are picked up at their homesand drivento and from ap- pointmentsathospitalsandreha- bilitation centres throughout the island. Evers knows every route and every shortcut by heart. “| think I was born with an in- ternal GPS,” he said. “People say that if Alphons doesn’t know howto getthere, no- body will know how to get there.” ‘Beyond getting. patient to and from an appointment in a secure fashion, the volunteer job also requires an abundance of patience and empathy. “Some of our patientslivealone, so they want to talk,” Evers said. “It’s our job to drive and to listen. And they are stressed. We help calm them down.” ‘Then there is the waiting. “| remember there was one doctor who booked everybody a Alphons Evers and his wife Dinny van Best volunteer with NOVA. Alphons was named a recipient of the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award for his volunteer work. sonw maHonEY for 8:30 a.m.,” Evers said. “Thirty ‘would show up. These people are sick. They gettired. Iranintohim ‘once, by chance, and I gave hima piece of my mind.” Evers turns 80 in December and has health issues of his own. But he plans to keep going with NOVA as long as he can. It’s ajob that gives back. Evers had one story he will forever hold dear. Hehelpedayoungwomaninher 30s who had breast cancer. There weremany appointments. Things got worse and she didn’t make it, After her funeral, her mother approached him and whispered in his ear “She loved you.” “That hits you,” Evers said, his voice cracking, “Itstill does.” NOVA, formerly the Vietorian Order of Nurses, offersfreehealth services for vulnerable adults, young people and families. For more information about NOVA ‘West Island, visit novawi.org, kgreenaway@postmedia.com