The Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan is recognizing 26 individuals as recipients of the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers.

The Lieutenant Governor will present the medals at a virtual ceremony that will be aired on July 1 at 10:00 a.m.

The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers honours individuals who have demonstrated passion, dedication and commitment to their communities through significant, sustained and unpaid voluntary contributions.

A list of recipients and the event link are with this story at cjwwradio.com.

This is the event link.

Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers Recipients

Carol Bachynski
Regina

Carol Bachynski has been volunteering in Regina for over a decade, notably with Dress for Success Regina, which supports women in their efforts to gain economic independence. She is also a founding member of 100+ Women Who Care Regina, which brings women together in support of local charities.

Noela Bamford
Regina

For more than 40 years, the volunteer efforts of Noela Bamford have positively shaped such organizations as the Prairie Chamber Choir, the Health Arts Society of Regina, and the Regina Symphony Orchestra (RSO). As chair and co-chair of the RSO Gala Committee, she established the Education Outreach Fund and has helped raise $60,000 for it each year.

Lorna Benson
Canwood

Lorna Benson helps to keep the Rural Municipality of Canwood safe by volunteering with the First Responder Group and the Rural Crime Watch. She has improved community life by raising funds for the ongoing maintenance of the local skating rink and by organizing such events as an annual holiday concert.

Herman Blind
Punnichy

Herman Blind is a founder of the Bold Eagle Program, which combines Indigenous education with military training for young men and women. For the last 30 years, he has been volunteering with the program to promote cultural awareness and improve the lives of youth from the George Gordon First Nation and elsewhere in the country.
Florence Bonaise
Stanley Mission

For the past 20 years, Florence Bonaise has been displaying friendliness and generosity to her fellow citizens of Stanley Mission and the surrounding areas. Through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, she helped to establish a new tax clinic in the neighbouring Grandmother’s Bay First Nation.

Scott Boyes
La Ronge

Scott Boyes has been committed to serving the small community of La Ronge for many years, promoting and coaching various sports such as minor hockey, cross-country skiing and biathlon. He is also an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion and has been a board member of several organizations, including the Kikinahk Metis Friendship Centre.

Marc Buchholz
Regina

Marc Buchholz has helped the Regina arts community thrive through his involvement with such organizations as the Landfill Harmonic Project, the Regina Symphony Orchestra, and the Prairie Chamber Choir. He has helped them succeed by overseeing box offices, coordinating concert logistics, managing patron relations and planning fundraising initiatives.

Douglas Byers
Saskatoon

Douglas Byers has been volunteering with various organizations over the past three decades, most recently helping homeless veterans through VETS Canada. He has also served as a spotter with the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, and has canvassed on behalf of local charities.

Valerie Cade
Regina

Valerie Cade has been a volunteer with the Monarchist League of Canada for the past 15 years, serving as a member of the Board of Directors and coordinating the annual Queen’s birthday luncheon. She is also the lead organizer of the annual November 11 breakfast with the Armisticians Group and is a member of the advisory committee for the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan’s Annual Prayer Breakfast.

Stephanie Casper
Regina

Stephanie Casper has been a volunteer with the Autism Resource Centre in Regina since 2010, serving as vice-president of its board of directors, as well as coordinating and promoting fundraising events like the annual Walk for Autism. She also served with Holy Cross Parish over the past five years, leading the children’s liturgy.

Kurt Fuchs
Fleming

A founder of the Fleming First Responders, Kurt Fuchs has volunteered with the Canadian Red Cross over the past decade in disaster management. He also contributed to the restoration of the Moosomin Armoury as a member of its board of directors.

Kellie Garrett
Regina

In addition to being the CEO of her own company, Kellie Garrett has devoted considerable time to volunteering with such organizations as Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan and Dress for Success Regina. She also served as director and strategic planning chair of the Autism Resource Centre.

Ron Heisler
Qu’Appelle

Volunteer firefighter and first responder Ron Heisler has been attending to emergencies in Qu’Appelle since 1987. He also raises funds and trains new volunteers for the department, and gives generously of his time to the Air Cadets and other community projects.

Laurianne Jacques
Regina

For more than 45 years, Laurianne Jacques has been offering spiritual support to her parish and to the Fransaskois community. Through the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Parish and the Communauté des Africains Francophones de la Saskatchewan, she has helped newcomers settle in Canada.

Charles Keple
Regina

Charles Keple has served his community for more than 60 years as a volunteer with dozens of local and national seniors’ organizations, such as the Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism (SSM). As chair of the SSM’s Provincial Elder Abuse Steering Committee, he advocates for and works to improve quality of life for seniors.

Elder Betty McKenna
Regina

Betty McKenna has contributed her time and expertise as a long-standing volunteer with the Saskatchewan Prayer Breakfast Committee. An expert on traditional and spiritual teachings in the Indigenous community, she has served as a knowledgeable resource for events and protocol with the provincial government and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office in Saskatchewan.

William Peterson
Saskatoon/North Saanich, BC

A leader in community activism, William Peterson has dedicated his time and skills over the last four decades to volunteering with local chapters of such groups as Big Brothers Big Sisters, the United Way and Habitat for Humanity. His passion for helping his community led him to be named the Saskatoon Citizen of the Year in 2013.

Tim Popp
Battleford

Tim Popp has volunteered with the Royal Canadian Legion since 1982, and currently serves as vice-president of the Battleford Branch. He also helps document military history through the Maple Leaf Legacy Project and as firearms and military advisor to the Fred Light Museum, as well as by researching incidents and acts of bravery for the Royal Canadian Humane Association.

Maria Reardon
Regina

Maria Reardon has applied her expertise in adult education to contribute to the well-being of senior citizens in Regina. She promotes learning opportunities for older adults through her volunteer work with the Seniors’ University Group, and raises awareness among seniors through her presentations on safety and elder abuse.

Angela Ricci
Regina

Angela Ricci has proven to be a dedicated advocate for adults on the autism spectrum as a volunteer with the Autism Resource Centre. As president of the organization, she has guided the development of vocational training and independent living programs.

Fred Sandeski
Weyburn

Fred Sandeski has helped individuals file their taxes as a volunteer with the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, run by the Community Low Income Centre. He also dedicates his time to running a pro bono legal clinic and provides employment assistance to adults with disabilities.

Stephen Scriver
Wolseley

Stephen Scriver has made worthy contributions to the understanding and preservation of the history of Wolseley, Saskatchewan. He has generously improved his community by supporting the Wolseley Heritage Foundation Archive, several community newspapers, Wolseley’s town council, as chair of the Wolseley Library Board and as a member of the executive of the Wolseley Minor Hockey Association.

Carolyn Speirs
Regina

Carolyn Speirs has demonstrated her passion for theatre by volunteering with the Regina Lyric Musical Theatre for nearly two decades. She has served as production manager for more than 30 Lyric shows, recruited new volunteers, led work on funding applications, and used her talent as a vocalist and performer to help create a vibrant arts community in Regina.

Marj Thiessen
Regina

Marj Thiessen has had a powerful impact on her community for more than 15 years as a volunteer with the Lifelong Learning Centre. She contributes to outreach programs that focus on retirement planning, elder abuse awareness and prevention, and social isolation among seniors. She also trains volunteers to present the outreach initiatives throughout the province.

Eric Vincent
Saskatoon

For 10 years, Eric Vincent served three lieutenant governors of Saskatchewan as an aide-de-camp. Through his church, he has volunteered as deacon and as a member of the worship committee, provided first aid training, and raised awareness and funds for special mission projects.

Robert James Woodward
Kamsack

Over 50 years with the Royal Canadian Legion, Robert Woodward has presided over Decorations and Remembrance Day ceremonies, addressed high school students, given tours of the Branch museum and documented many of the Zone headstones. He was instrumental in establishing a memorial walk in the veterans’ plot at the cemetery and has built 150 wooden crosses and flowerbeds for Remembrance Day services.