Ottawa REDBLACKS offensive lineman Nolan MacMillan has been named one of nine CFL nominees for the distinguished Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award.
The honour has been awarded every year since 2010 to a Canadian CFL player who best demonstrates the attributes of Canada’s veterans: strength, perseverance, courage, comradeship and contribution to Canadian communities. The award recognizes Jake Gaudaur as he embodied these attributes as the CFL’s longest-standing Commissioner and distinguished Second World War Veteran.
MacMillan spent the first half of the 2016 season rehabbing a wrist injury and, while the time on the sidelines would be tough on any athlete, MacMillan made the most of it. The Arnprior native led the REDBLACKS in hours spent working in the Ottawa-Gatineau community, serving meals to the homeless, serving as a minor football guest coach on several occasions and participated in various school assemblies to engage and mentor youth in the National Capital Region.
The nominees are chosen by their respective clubs and the recipient is chosen by a committee and honoured during the CFL Awards at Grey Cup Weekend. This year’s awards gathering will take place at the beautiful Art Gallery of Ontario in downtown Toronto.
Here is the list of the nine nominees for the 2016 CFL season:
Hunter Stewart, B.C. Lions
Spencer Wilson, Calgary Stampeders
Grant Shaw, Edmonton Eskimos
Rob Bagg, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Andrew Harris, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Matt Black, Toronto Argonauts
Courtney Stephen, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Nolan MacMillan, Ottawa REDBLACKS
Luc Brodeur-Jourdain, Montreal Alouettes
This year’s Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award will be honoured during the CFL Awards on Thursday, November 24 at Grey Cup Weekend in Toronto.
