The St. Stephen IODE Heritage Chapter has presented two citizenship awards to Lydia and Gavin Stubbert — both of whom have stepped up for their community in meaningful ways.
Lydia organizes an annual community clean up — collecting trash and working together to make St. Stephen is a bit brighter. She has even presented to the council to encourage them to participate.
In April, 100 volunteers showed up to help her and together collected 60 bags of garbage.
Lydia has also received a certificate of appreciation from the Province of New Brunswick by the local MLA Kathy Bockus.
Her brother Gavin has also stepped up for several years to support the local food bank — going the extra mile to collect donations.
In December 2025, Gavin was able to collect 28 turkeys and 11 hams for families in need of a holiday meal.
IODE Heritage Chapter vice-president Bonnie Dolan said the group had been discussing donations to the food bank — and stumbled upon Gavin’s initiative.
“It’s to recognize people that are doing things to help in the community,” she said, speaking with The Courier.
Dolan said things got busy over the holiday season — and they revisited the awards this spring.
“I do know his parents, his mom, and I realized his sister actually does the town clean up,” she said. “She’s also pretty remarkable.”
She said it is amazing to see young kids step up to help their community.
“It’s wonderful, which is why we really wanted to … honour them,” Dolan said. “You know, that might inspire other children or adults.”
Lydia said she felt the community would look and feel better with all the garbage picked up.
“It’s safer for kids so they get injured and animals,” she said. “I just feel so much better that it all gets cleaned up … and I’m happy the community comes out every year.”
Last year, Gavin was able to collect 3,315 items. He said that every year, the food bank struggles with turkey donations — and that is when he stepped up — again.
“They always have people going without turkeys,” he said.
Both Lydia and Gavin said they feel good about the community showing their appreciation.
“It’s nice to be recognized but that’s not why we do any of it, we do it just because we can,” Gavin said.
Their Mom Angela Stubbert said the recognition is meaningful because they are so young — but carry such a wholesome understanding of helping others.
“I think it just increases the drive for them to continue,” she said.
Both have some renewed goals for their upcoming events. Gavin hopes to create a competition between himself and the middle school to bring in donations — with the goal of the school doubling whatever he is able to collect.
“It is probably [possible] if they put their hearts into it,” he said.
Lydia would like to continue a tradition introduced last year of a raffle basket — everyone who came out had their name entered into a raffle for a gift basket.
With the hope of good weather — like her brother Gavin — Lydia hopes to make her fifth annual clean up bigger than ever.
