Port Hawkesbury Town Council is happy that a new University of New Brunswick bursary will honour the lives of two former residents.

The James and Rilla McLean Memorial Bursary, valued at a minimum of $8,000, will be awarded for the first time in September 2024 to at least one undergraduate student per year who demonstrates financial need. Preference will be given to students with mobility challenges, such as spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis.

Rilla was born with a rare genetic disorder, one of the side effects of which was sensory neuropathy. Her mobility increasingly lessened throughout her life until eventually she required the full-time use of a wheelchair but the wheelchair did not slow her down.

Two of Jim and Rilla’s volunteer commitments in Port Hawkesbury were the Strait Accessibility Awareness Committee, working to improve accessibility in the town and its buildings, and the Inverness-Richmond Society for Persons with Disabilities. They also gave their time to the Terry Fox Run, the Nova Scotia Trails Association, their church, and the local historical society and museum.

In 2000, Rilla was honoured with Canadian Airlines’ national award for her demonstration of the spirit of volunteerism. She and Jim worked tirelessly to increase accessibility in Port Hawkesbury. Jim passed away in 2010, and Rilla in 2022.

During last night’s regular monthly meeting, Town Councillor Hughie MacDougall said it was “really nice” for such a prestigious university to acknowledge the work of the MacLeans.

Noting that Rilla was an “amazing advocate for accessibility” and the bursary is a “testament to her dedication,” Mayor Brenda Chisholm added that it was “heart-warming” to see McLean being recognized outside the Town of Port Hawkesbury.