Coronation Medals, Community Awards given out to deserving residents

Locals dedicated to helping others awarded King Charles III Coronation Medals

Following King Charles III coronation in May 2023, the Prime Minister announced that 30,000 Coronation Medals were going to be awarded to those had made significant contributions to the country, a province, territory, region or community or whose achievements had brought benefit to the honour of Canada.

“The King Charles III Coronation Medals are a visible and tangible way to recognize outstanding individuals of all ages, and all walks of life, who have made a difference in their community,” said MLA Dan Davies, who had the honour of presenting the medals on behalf of the Governor General on September 5, to three local residents  who have spent years going above and beyond in service to the people in the North Peace region.

“We have so many deserving people in Peace River North, but the people who have been awarded this medal are truly special,” Davies said. “These people are a benefit to their communities, province and country. They are involved in bettering the lives of everyone around them, this recognition is well-deserved by them all.”

The first recipient was Margaret Little, a retired schoolteacher and former president of the Peace River North Teachers Association, who has been a staunch advocate for Seniors for many years. Davies called her a “fierce advocate for everything to do with Seniors,” said “we are blessed to have you in our community, blessed to have you fighting for Seniors and the needs of Seniors.”

Edward Stanford of Urban Systems was the second recipient, who Davies says brings value not only to Fort St. John, but communities throughout the Peace region and beyond.

“There’s very few organizations that I’ve connected with that I don’t see Edward’s friendly face at,” Davies said. “[He’s out] Supporting our different organizations and non-profits in communities and starting different organizations.”

For example, Davies said that Stanford was involved in starting the Northeast Immigrant Society, which provides a wide variety of resources to newly arrived immigrants in the region.

“Edward is absolutely a community pillar, and I think we can all agree that Edward is much deserving of this award.”

The Arts Community in Fort St. John is absolutely unbelievable, says Davies, especially considering the city’s reputation as a transient town. Connie Surerus, the third medal recipient, is one of the pillars of that vibrant community, and is a force behind the Arts Hub, which brings together different organizations and allows people to express themselves artistically.

Davies presented the Coronation Medal to Surerus, “for her work in the Arts community, and her philanthropy within our community.”

In keeping with their dedication to service above self, each of the recipients said that not only were many other people in the community deserving of this award, but they couldn’t have done all that they did on their own.

Later, in a move that came as a complete surprise to Davies, a fourth Coronation Medal was presented by former Peace River North MLA and Senator Richard Neufeld.

“The people that received these today certainly have been hard workers for this community, Peace River North and they’ve all contributed an awful lot. So have you,” Neufeld told Davies.

Davies started out in the community as a teacher and leading Cadets, and Neufeld said: “Your continued hard work is really appreciated. As an MLA, you’ve done very well, for this part of the province, advocating for us.”

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17^th Annual Community Awards recognizes contributions of residents

For the last 16 years, the City of Fort St. John has held the Community Awards to recognize the efforts of extraordinary citizens who do good in the community. Whether it’s a business that goes above and beyond for clients and the community, a non-profit which gives opportunities to people where otherwise opportunities would not exist, or individuals who are constantly supporting fellow citizens and giving to the community, the City has long made it a practice to recognize such people and organizations for their significant contributions.

Each nominee is nominated by the public in Fort St. John and surrounding area in four categories. The people and organizations honoured at the Community Awards are those whose efforts fellow residents admire and appreciate.

The categories are:

Youth Award recognizes an individual or youth group who has made a positive contribution to the community on a volunteer basis, by developing a project, serving on a committee or other volunteer work with organizations or groups.

Business Award recognizes the contributions of an individual or business towards areas including, but not limited to; social innovation, mentorship or investing in the community.

Citizen of the Year recognizes an individual or group of individuals who have achieved an exemplary reputation both inside and outside the community with their actions. Known as a leader or role model by their actions, they contribute to the community in a meaningful way.

Non-profit Award recognizes the efforts of a group of individuals or organization whose commitment, volunteer leadership, service and community spirit have made a positive impact on the community.

Youth Award Recipient:

Emmanuella Ogoke joined as an Activity Support Volunteer at Peace Villa in September 2023, logging 81.25 hours in her role. Her warm and friendly demeanor made a lasting impact on the residents who thoroughly enjoyed their time with this remarkable young volunteer. Her experience has inspired her to consider a career in health care. As Ella is away at school, her father, Ngozika Ogoke accepted the award on her behalf.

Business Award Recipient:

The Fort St. John Pharmacy & Wellness Centre, a privately-run clinic, plays a vital role in our community, offering compassionate, patient-centred care. Staffed by dedicated nurses, pharmacists and health professionals, the clinic is a pillar of support for residents. In addition to wound care, vaccinations and travel health services, the Wellness Centre offers the only drive-through pharmacy and provides essential outreach to seniors in care facilities.

Citizen of the Year Recipient:

The Kirschner family came to Fort St. John in 1966 and have long been pillars of the community. As former owner of Instep Shoes, and the current owner of The Lido, Brian Kirschner has helped revitalize downtown Fort St. John by turning The Lido into a vibrant, cultural hub.

Brian’s contributions to non-profits, families and the arts have left an enduring mark on the community. His vision, creativity and dedication have turned The Lido into a beacon of community spirit, and bring life to the community through concerts, events and support for displaced families, such as the Fort Nelson evacuees earlier this year.

Non-profit Recipient:

A dynamic force for community betterment, the Fort St. John Metis Society has hosted a variety of programs including foot-care clinics for Seniors, a monthly food-security initiative, Metis cultural and mental wellness classes, family togetherness programs while also running the Metis Cart food truck over the last year. The Society is currently working to develop a program to ease some of the weight on the healthcare system, and on creating positive relationships throughout the community.

The Fort St. John Metis Society is also the recipient of the $2,000 non-profit honorarium put forward by the Community Awards sponsors, Urban Systems, Merwin Optical, Fort St. John Co-op and Northern Lights College. In addition to the awards, each of the recipients received a plaque which was installed on one of four benches along 100 Street – located in front of the Centex gas station, Brown’s Socialhouse, Subway, and SNC-Lavalin.