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Weider Receives The Order of St. John - Rob Wilkins - bodybuilding Go
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Ben Weider Receives The Order of St. John
By Rob Wilkins
Special Assistant to the International Federation of Bodybuilders
On November 15, 2001, the President of The Order of St. John, The Honorable Robert Langdon, recognized IFBB President Ben Weider during a distinguished ceremony for the charitable work he has performed over a span of more than 50 years, in raising awareness about the importance of living a healthy and fit lifestyle. It is Weider's unselfish philanthropic contributions towards world youth, regardless of race, religion or politics that have led to his receipt of The Order of St. John this year.

The Order of St. John is presented to an exclusive group of people at a traditional ceremony each year in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada. The beginnings of The Order of St John date back to the First Crusade to the Holy Land in 1095. When they captured Jerusalem, the Crusaders founded a hospice, the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, run by a group of monks led by Blessed Gerard. Foundations of the Order operate in 40 countries with the International Headquarters located at St John's Gate, Clerkenwell, and London.

The historic presentation ceremony takes place in the Basilica of The Order of St. John, and is one of the few distinctions that the government of Canada recognizes.

Weider, an Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the 62nd Artillery Regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces, located in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada, proudly wore his full military uniform and the various decorations that he has been awarded to the ceremony. Also attending this prestigious ceremony were Weider's son, Mr. Eric Weider, Mr. Jacques Duchesneau, former Chief of Police of the City of Montreal and the Honorary Commander of the Military Police of all the Canadian Armed Forces, numerous members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and representatives from various Canadian law enforcement agencies.

After the touching ceremony, all 400 guests were invited to the Government House where a reception was hosted by The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, who serves as the official representative of the Queen of England in Canada.

Weider has received many prominent awards to include 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. 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 French government.

For more information on Ben Weider and the IFBB, please visit our web site at www.ifbb.com.

Rob Wilkins, originally from Linden, New Jersey, is a Technical Sergeant in the US Air Force stationed at The Pentagon, Washington, DC. Wilkins is also a Special Assistant to the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) and a recipient of the IFBB Gold Medal (Oct '00). To contact Wilkins e-mail him at waaszup@yahoo.com
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