Ben Weider Receives the Order of St. John Medal

By Rob Wilkins
Special Assistant to the IFBB

Colonel (Hon) Ben Weider wearing the medal "Commander of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem"

On June 23, 2006, Ben Weider, President of the IFBB was proudly promoted to the rank of Commander in the Order of St. John at a private ceremony held in the Senate Chambers, which is located in the Canadian Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, Canada.

Weider was selected for this honor due to his dynamic and enthusiastic leadership in promoting good health and disease prevention throughout Canada and for financially supporting much needed medical research through the Ben Weider Foundation.

The history of the Order of St. John can be dated back to the year 1080, which makes it the oldest order of chivalry in the world.  Affiliates of the Order operate in 40 countries with the International Headquarters located at St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell, London.

“It is an honor to receive this award and be recognized among so many hard working and charitable Canadians,” said Weider.  “I sincerely thank the members of the Order of St. John for this distinction and look forward to continuing my association with them for many years to come.”

Attending this stately ceremony were the Honorable Noël Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate (Canada), Honorable Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada), and the Honorable René Marin, Chancellor of the Order.  Also in attendance to commemorate this special event were Weider’s wife Huguette, his sons Louis, Eric, and Mark, and a large contingent of family members and friends.

Weider has received numerous prominent awards including the Order of Canada, the highest award bestowed upon a Canadian citizen, a 1984 Nobel Peace Prize nomination, and most recently, he was recognized as Knight of the National Order of Quebec, the highest honor achievable for residents of Quebec.

Ben Weider is the only Canadian citizen to ever receive the Order of Canada, the Order of St. John, the Knight of the National Order of Quebec, and the Legion of Honor, which is the highest award presented by the government of France.

For more information related to the Order of St. John, visit their website at:
http://www.orderofstjohn.org

For the most current information related to the IFBB, visit the web site at www.ifbb.com

Rob Wilkins is a Master Sergeant in the US Air Force stationed at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Wilkins is also a Special Assistant to the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) and a recipient of the IFBB Gold Medal. To contact Wilkins, e-mail him at robifbb@yahoo.com