City names first Order of Ottawa recipients

Double-lung transplant recipient Helene Campbell arrives at a welcome home press conference with her family in Ottawa on Tuesday, July 17, 2012. (Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The first group of Order of Ottawa recipients includes a former mayor, the recently-retired president of Algonquin College and an international organ donation advocate.

The City of Ottawa will indict 15 people into the order on Nov. 22, including Jim Durrell, Robert Gillett and Helene Campbell.

The awards were created earlier this year “as a way to recognize exceptional residents who have made a significant contribution in a professional capacity in many areas of city life,” according to a news release.

Its other recipients are:

The city is also giving baseball coach (and Ottawa Citizen reporter) Don Campbell the Brian Kilrea amateur coaching award.