Nassau: Meet the Mayor of Gander Newfoundland on 9/11

Claude Elliott is at the heart of the story of the musical COME FROM AWAY. As mayor of Gander, Newfoundland in 2001, when the show is set, Claude led the efforts to house and feed the 7,000 stranded travelers who found themselves in Gander when air space closed after the attacks at the Twin Towers.

Gander International Airport played an integral role in world aviation in the hours immediately following the September 11 attacks.

Come and hear Claude Elliott, Mayor of Gander, at that fateful time, reflect upon how his small town welcomed thousands of strangers.

Claude Elliott was born and raised in Twillingate. Mr. Elliott trained as a Paramedic and after graduating in 1974 he moved to Gander where he accepted a position with the Gander District Hospital Board and after 27 years of service, retired in 2001.

Mr. Elliott was first elected to the Gander Town Council in a 1990 by-election and has served in municipal office since that time. He was elected Deputy Mayor in 1993 and accepted the Mayor’s seat in 1996, when his predecessor was elected Member of the House of Assembly for Gander District in the Provincial Legislature. He was returned as Mayor in the 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013 Municipal Elections.

During his time in office, Mayor Elliott has served on every committee of Council, including the Government Restructuring Committee and the Physician Recruitment Committee . He has represented the Central Region on the Board of Directors of Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL) and has chaired MNL’s Membership Committee.

Mayor Elliott is a member of the Gander Masonic Fraternal and is a past-president of the Rotary Club of Gander. He is a Honourary Member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Retired Veterans Association and is an Associate Member of the Royal Canadian Legion. In 2005, he was presented with the tourism industry’s Ambassador of Newfoundland and Labrador Award. In 2008, he received a Priory Vote of Thanks from the Order of St. John. In 2007, he received the Silver Life Saving Award from St. John Ambulance. In 2014, he received the Terre Neuve York Rite College No. 184 Award and was acknowledged as a worthy brother, as well as an outstanding Mayor and Newfoundlander and in 2012, he received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal Award.

After serving 21 years, Mayor Elliott retired on September 26^th, 2017.Mayor Elliot now enjoys fishing, golfing, and is an avid hockey card collector. He and Gerri spend time with their son Shawn, daughter-in-law Pam and grandchild Penny in Gander and regularly vacations with daughter Tina, son-in-law Lucius and grandchildren Jake and Will in Hawaii.

Value of goods and services provided is $10 for registration.