A 琉璃神社 resident received recognition for his countless volunteer hours and teachings with St. John鈥檚 Ambulance.

John Broughton started volunteering with the nonprofit 20 years ago as a young cadet who was fascinated with the process.

鈥淚 always wanted to help people,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was at an event and St. John wanted cadets to come and act as victims. I did it and thought 鈥榯his is pretty neat.鈥� They convinced me and I pretty much have been doing it ever since.鈥�

鈥淲hen I lived in Vancouver, I used to go to the Canucks鈥� games as a volunteer and that was a lot of fun.鈥�

Broughton has been a part of the military for 29 years and instructs the teachers on how to teach first-aid courses. He鈥檚 also a captain and an amour officer.

In May, he traveled to Ottawa where he was honoured with the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem medal.

The medal is awarded to those with a minimum of 60 hours of volunteer service a year and 12 years of service overall.

鈥淭hey recognized my efforts to improving St. John Ambulance, improving teaching the course in the military and also as a volunteer on the civilian side,鈥� said Broughton.

鈥淚t came as a surprise, whoever nominated me on the military side didn鈥檛 tell me.鈥�

It was his first time in the Parliament building, but he鈥檚 been outside of it before.

鈥淧arliament is really interesting. It鈥檚 got details you can spend a lifetime examining. Just going in there and feeling the essence of 150 years of Canada right there, it was pretty powerful,鈥� he said.

Broughton is the local trainer for the St. John Ambulance brigade.

His career came full circle when he began teaching the cadets. Last year, he spent the summer in Vernon teaching first-aid at the army camp.

鈥淚鈥檝e been told I make the course interesting just because I like to teach it鈥� for example if you鈥檙e out in the bush you can get a sun burn or heat stroke. I鈥檒l give scenarios,鈥� he said.

His involvement in the military and with St. John鈥檚 doesn鈥檛 come as a surprise when one examines his family tree. The Broughton involvement in the military spans generations.

His father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great grandfather were in Canadian Armed Forces along with his mother. His brother is in the U.S. military.

John Broughton Senior is proud of his son.

鈥淗e鈥檚 doing very well for himself,鈥� said his father.