Bernice and Rolland Desnoyers, who have cared for 65 foster children in their home over the past 45 years, have received the Order of Ontario.

The Desnoyers, who live in Leamington, Ont., were shocked and pleasantly surprised when they were notified of their nomination to Order of Ontario by telephone, they told CBC News reporter Heather Hiscox on Thursday.

Bernice and Rolland Desnoyers received the Order of Ontario.
(CBC)

They were among 27 people who received the highest honour the province can bestow on its citizens in a ceremony Thursday at Queen's Park. 

In 1960, doctors told the Desnoyers they would have difficulty conceiving children, so they sought foster parenting as an alternative and enjoyed it so much that they have been doing it ever since.

"The most rewarding part is that some kids come in so scared and down and you can pick them up again," said Rolland, who doesn't shy away from bringing the most troubled youth into his home.

The elderly couple is still fostering and has no plans of stopping anytime soon. They remain in contact with many of the children they've helped raise over the past four and a half decades.

The Desnoyers join a list of 460 notable artists, doctors, journalists, entrepreneurs, scientists, human rights activists and others in Ontario, all celebrated for their remarkable achievements.

Other recipients this year:

• Thomas J. Bitove - A Toronto businessman and supporter of many charities, including Big Brothers, the Canadian Macedonian Place and ProAction Cops and Kids.
• John Richard Bond - A University of Toronto astrophysicist, cosmologist and pioneer on the structure, formation and evolution of the universe who helped establish Ontario as a centre for cosmology research.
• Peter J. George - An economist and author and president and vice chancellor of McMaster University in Hamilton and chairman of the Council of Ontario Universities.
• Christopher A. Harris - Co-founder of the Ottawa-Carleton Immigrant Services Organization, the National Capital Alliance on Race Relations and the Jamaican Ottawa Community Association.
• Peter A. Herrndorf - A journalist nominated for his work in Canadian broadcasting, publishing and the performing arts at organizations such as the CBC, Toronto Life Magazine, TV Ontario and the National Arts Centre.
• Rebecca F. Jamieson - A leading educator in the First Nations community, working on behalf of the Six Nations and the Grand River Post Secondary Education Organization.
• Max Keeping - Ottawa media personality and creator of the Max Keeping Foundation.
• M. David Lepofsky - Contributed to the creation of the Disabilities Act 2001 and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005.
• Dr. Tak W. Mak - A biomedical scientist noted for his discovery of the T cell receptor, his work in molecular biology and his contributions in the genetics of immunology.
• J. William McConkey - University of Windsor professor for more than 35 years and a world leader in atomic and molecular physics.
• Roderick R. McInnes - University of Toronto professor and senior scientist with the Hospital for Sick Children, internationally recognized for his research on the eye.
• The Honourable R. Roy McMurtry - former chief justice of Ontario, former attorney general of Ontario and contributor to the Canadian Constitution and the creation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
• Lorraine Monk - An author of award-winning books and creator of the Photographers for Peace Foundation.
• Albert Kai-Wing Ng - A graphic designer who founded the Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario after a 10-year campaign for professional accreditation.
• Adeena Niazi - A former lecturer at Kabul University who volunteers with newcomers to Canada and in 1990 established the Afghan Women's Organization to address women's unique settlement needs.
• Gordon M. Nixon - President and CEO of the Royal Bank of Canada, involved in community work, research and innovation.
• Margaret Helen Ogilvie - The chancellor's professor of law at Carleton University in Ottawa, she's consulted widely as a legal expert and has served as a visiting scholar to universities abroad.
• Eva Olsson - A survivor of Nazi concentration camps, and an author and public speaker.
• Marlene Ann Pierre - Founding member of the Thunder Bay Indian Friendship Centre and the Ontario Native Women's Association.
• Frances A. Shepherd - An oncologist and researcher whose work has led to new treatment options for lung cancer patients in Ontario and throughout the world, she holds the Scott Taylor Chair in Lung Cancer Research at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto.
• Janice Gross Stein - A scholar and expert in conflict management and negotiation, Middle Eastern politics and Canadian foreign policy.
• Paul-François Sylvestre - A leader in the development of Franco-Ontarian literature and thought, and a founding member of the Association des auteures et auteurs de l'Ontario français.
• William Thorsell - Director and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum, and former editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail.
• David Walde - Director of the Oncology Program at Sault Area Hospital, pioneer of community-based cancer treatments and a fundraiser for the new Sault Ste. Marie hospital.
• Paul Walfish - University of Toronto professor and senior consultant with Mount Sinai Hospital, widely published and a leader in the international thyroidology community.

"These distinguished individuals are truly exemplary in their fields," said David Onley, lieutenant-governor of Ontario. "Our province is richer for the breadth and depth of their contributions."

The last day to nominate someone for next year's Order of Ontario is Feb. 28, 2008.