For the past two weeks, residents Darshan Singh Bilkhu and wife, Nirmal have had their display of Canadian flags waving outside their home on the corner of Catania Avenue and Simcoe Road.
The couple have lived in Bradford for 25 years, and before that, in Newmarket and Brampton. Every year they make a point to decorate their front lawn for Canada Day, and this year made sure to include a special thank-you message to all front-line workers as they fight through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bilkhu has been instrumental in developing programs and fundraisers for local hospitals, and is the founder of Guru Nanak Community Services Foundation, named for Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the Founder of Sikhism.
The foundation usually hosts a large Canada Day celebration, among other well received events each year, and is happy to show their patriotism.
Just this past winter, Bilkhu worked with council in having a set of much needed traffic lights installed at the busy intersection of Catania Avenue and Simcoe Road.
The Bradford community is very familiar with Bilkhu and his passion for the community and country, so much so that MP Scot Davidson made sure to visit the couple on Canada Day to present them with a certificate recognizing their commitment to Canadian culture.
"It was a pleasure to be able to present Darshan and Nirmal with a certificate recognizing their Canadian pride and community spirit," said Davidson.
"Their efforts in decorating their home in red and white to celebrate Canada Day was greatly appreciated by their neighbours, friends, and other BWG residents, and it was important to commemorate their achievement with a certificate on behalf of everyone who calls York-Simcoe home."
"I always do something right," said Bilkhu, "Not for me, but for the community."
"This example of community spirit is what makes our country so great, and should always be celebrated," said Davidson.
