Latest news with #CanadianHonoursSystem
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Beachburg resident is honoured with Sovereign Medal for Volunteers
Beachburg – A Beachburg resident who has enhanced the life of his community in numerous ways, has been recognized for his many decades of volunteer service by being awarded the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers. Barry Stephen's contributions have enriched many facets of community life. These include approximately 50 years as choir director at St. Andrew's United Church in Beachburg, as well as pianist and organist at the church as and when needed, and long years of service on the board of trustees of the church. His musical skills and talents have also reached out to the wider community in various ways over many of his 85 years. These include serving for 20 years as musical director of the Valley Harmonizers seniors' barbershop chorus. He was also a member of the Beachburg Lions Club for seven years. The Beachburg Fair Committee has been a beneficiary of his generosity with his time and effort for 15 years, including terms as president, vice president, and past president. Further, he has served for approximately 15 years as 4-H beef leader, which involved participating in shows at fairs in Beachburg, Renfrew and Ottawa, as well as at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. The medal presentation was made by Fred Blackstein, a member of the Order of Canada. The ceremony was incorporated into a local celebration of the 100th anniversary of the United Church of Canada, of which the Beachburg church where Mr. Stephen has given so many volunteer hours is a member. Equally appropriate was the venue for the occasion: the Heritage Hall at the Beachburg Fair Grounds, which originally was built as the exhibit hall for the fair and which continues to serve in that capacity at the annual event. 'We were given the choice of having the medal presented at Rideau Hall, where the Governor General might be able to do it, or having it presented here, among family and friends and community members, which I preferred,' said Mr. Stephen. An official honour created by the Crown, the medal is part of the Canadian Honours System, part of the Chancellery of Honours administered by the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General. The medal recognizes living Canadians who have made a significant, sustained, and unpaid contribution to their community. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Three Calgary philanthropists receiving Alberta Order of Excellence
Three Calgary leaders will be inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence later this year. Article content Geoff Cumming, Brian Felesky and Stephanie Felesky of Calgary have been named as part of the list of inductees for 2025. Article content Article content Cumming, a University of Calgary Alumnus and philanthropist, is well-known for his historic $100 million donation to the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine. Article content Article content Brian and Stephanie Felesky have each contributed to the community through different initiatives and sitting on many boards in Calgary, where they've received many awards for their philanthropic efforts. Additionally, Brian served as a founding member for Awali, an Alberta-based initiative that worked with the Aga Khan Foundation to support teacher development in East Africa. Article content Also recieving the award is John Scott of Longview, south of Calgary. Scott has played a major role in placing southern Alberta on the radar for many big-budget movie and TV productions. He was also a Top 7 Over 70 winner in 2023, inducted into the Canadian Stunts Hall of fame in 2022, and was recognized by the Global Production Awards for Location of the Year. Article content Article content The ceremony will take place in Edmonton in October. With the new additions, this will bring the total members in the Alberta Order of Excellence to 229. Article content Article content Albertans also receiving honours include Sine Chadi, John Day and Doug Stollery of Edmonton, Nichole Neubauer of Medicine Hat, and Lyn Radford of Red Deer. Article content The order recognizes exceptional service and achievement in a variety of fields, and is part of the Canadian Honours System. It celebrates Albertans whose leadership, innovation and dedication have played a role in Alberta's identity and future. Article content Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Salma Lakhani, said the Alberta Order of Excellence has recognized individuals who have been making transformative contributions to the province since 1979.
