Several of the Island's distinguished citizens were honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours List this week.

Dr. Barbara B. Ball was named an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

For almost four decades, Dr. Ball has been amongst Bermuda's most influential women as a medical practitioner, trade unionist and Member of Parliament.

Her courage in the face of extraordinary adversity, and even hostility, as well as her commitment to the Island's workers and her life of service to Bermuda have earned her the highest esteem of the Government and a special place in the hearts of most Bermudians.

Carol Dowding Hill and Alexander J. (Sandy) Mitchell were also named Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

Mr. Mitchell was instrumental in the establishment of the WindReach Recreational Village and is also the president of the Hamilton Lions club.

He has supported a wide variety of other charities and causes and he and his wife Maria provide financial sponsorship for many individuals in their sporting and career endeavours.

Miss Hill is a pioneer, teacher, director and community worker.

She joined the teaching staff at the Girls Institute of Arts and Crafts (which later became Prospect Secondary School for Girls) in 1949 and retired from there in 1985 Individuals that were awarded the Queen's Certificate and Badge of Honour are former Bermuda Football Association technical director and professional soccer player Clyde Best; chartered public accountant and Youth Net founder Cornell Fubler: Rev. Betty L. Furbert-Woolridge -- the first woman pastor to be ordained in the Bermuda Conference of the First District of African Methodism, the first woman to pastor Allen Temple AME Church and the first pastor to hold the Annual Conference at the Allen Temple AME Church twice in the tri-annual period of the Bermuda Conference in 1996 and 1999; and founding member and chairperson of Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE) Bermuda Wendy Lambert.

Also receiving the Queen's Certificate and Badge of Honour were Anthoni Lightbourne, who has been associated with the Bermuda Sea Cadets since 1968 and founded TS Venture, Somerset Sea Cadets and later became deputy commanding officer and commanding officer of the Hamilton Unit before assuming the post of commander of the entire Sea Cadets group in Bermuda; Bermudian poet, journalist, teacher of commercial subjects and juvenile domestic panelist Cecile Musson Smith; baker Jean Smith -- who offers her baked goods to any bake sale in her home parish of St. George's and visits King Edward VII Memorial Hospital or Agape House almost every day of the week; and Warwick United Majorettes founder June M.B. Tuzo.

Individuals that were awarded the Colonial Police Medal were Commandant Eugene Vickers, who joined the Bermuda Police Reserves in 1964 and received the Queens certificate and Badge of Honour in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in 1998; Chief Inspector Roger Kendall; and Chief Inspector Derek Smith.

Dr. Barbara Ball Carol Dowding Hill Alexander Mitchell Clyde Best The Rev. Betty L. Furbert-Woolridge Wendy Lambert Jean Smith Eugene Vickers Roger Kendall