By Tyler Marr

Canada 150 medals shine light on community volunteers

Dec 10, 2017 | 1:26 PM

Everyday volunteers, teachers, coaches, business and faith leaders enthusiastically ushered into Plaza 88 Saturday where they were recognized for their contributions to community service.

Over 50 residents from the federal riding of Prince Albert were on the receiving end of Canada 150 Medals: a small but significant gesture to say thank you for all that you do.

Presenting the awards at the non-partisan event was MP Randy Hoback, who highlighted how many of those recognized Saturday had “never received an award [for their work] before.”

“I had a couple of them say ‘this is the first time I have been acknowledged for the work we have done.’ They weren’t looking for it or expecting it and that is what makes it so sweet,” he said. 

“Here are people that generally care for the community, that give and just show up when they have to and do the work that needs to be done.” 

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Highlighting the residents around the holidays added to the day for Hoback. 

Each recipient was nominated by other members of the community and vetted for political activity.

Area residents, however, were not the only ones in the riding recognized. On Friday an event in Tisdale was held where upwards of 30 volunteers were identified in a similar ceremony.

Plans for the evening had been in the works since 2015 when a process was to put together to form a committee to gather recipients.

But when the federal government announced it would not issue medals for the countries sesquicentennial, Hoback said, “to have them pull the rug out from underneath us was just, I don’t want to be partisan politics here, but it just wasn’t what we felt was appropriate.”

“So we said we would step in and do it ourselves and I am sure glad we did.”

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr