Individual Members

Volunteer Awards

The Lifesaving Society is composed of thousands of dedicated volunteers. Annually, we recognize outstanding individuals with Commonwealth Honour Awards and the President's List.

Commonwealth Honour Awards recognize leadership and dedicated service to the Lifesaving Society.

The Certificate of Thanks honours volunteers for significant contributions to the aims of the Society.
The Service Medal acknowledges a minimum of 5 years of noteworthy service as a volunteer officer or committee member.
The Service Cross honours meritorious service to the Society over at least 15 years.
Honorary Life Member recognizes at least 20 years' service involving activity at a provincial as well as a national or international level.
Volunteers with a minimum 25 years of meritorious and noteworthy service at a provincial as well as a national or international level may be recognized as an Honorary Life Governor.
Commonwealth Vice President, the highest award of the Society, is normally reserved for individuals who have served on a National Council or the Commonwealth Council. Others may qualify in exceptional circumstances.

The President's List recognizes volunteer examiners and pays tribute to every examiner and the hours they spend at the heart of the Society's training programs.

The Eva McDonald Prize: The Eva McDonald Prize is a bursary awarded annually by the Lifesaving Society and the Alumni Association of School of Physical Education and Health at the University of Toronto.

Lifesaving Factoid

Before establishing the Lifesaving Society, Willam Henry and Archibald Sinclair first asked the Royal Humane Society to undertake water rescue instruction using its own organization and staff. There was little interest. Henry and Sinclair then approached the Amateur Swimming Association, which formed a committee but nothing further was done. Undeterred, Henry and Sinclair convened a meeting on January 3, 1891, at Anderton's Hotel in London, of seven persons interested in everything that pertained to swimming. This was the nucleus of the worldwide organization that was to become the worldwide Lifesaving Society.