Foothils MP John Barlow presented King Charles II Coronation Medals last month to 24 area residents.
A World War Two veteran of D-Day, community builders, farmers, ranchers, police officers and artists from across the Foothills riding were among recipients of King Charles II Coronation Medals.
The medals were presented last month by Foothills MP John Barlow.
“My riding of Foothills is filled with incredible people working together to make our communities stronger,” Barlow said. “It was an immense honour to facilitate the recognition of 24 local recipients who have made a significant contribution to their community, region, Alberta and Canada.”
“We all benefit from their selfless contributions to others. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to each of them.”
The Coronation Medal was created to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, which took place on May 6, 2023.
It is the first Canadian commemorative medal to mark a coronation.
The Governor General’s Office is responsible for administering the King Charles III Coronation Medal program in Canada to 30,000 recipients.
It is awarded to a person who has made a significant contribution to Canada, or to a particular province, territory, region of, or community in Canada, or attained an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.
Captain William (Bill) Wilson recently celebrated his 100th birthday last fall and has served his country and community tirelessly his entire lifetime.
A World War Two veteran, Capt. Wilson served with the Royal Canadian Navy as a seaman gunner on the HMCS Ottawa during D-Day and was awarded the Atlantic Star for his bravery.
Capt. Wilson was a founding member of the Naval Museum of Alberta Society and grew support to build the Naval Museum. Later, he was a key driver in building Calgary’s The Military Museums, an innovative tri-forces museum that is the largest in Canada.
Capt. Wilson retired from CP Rail to become the transport manager for the 1988 Olympics. Known as “The Rabbit,” he has an uncanny ability to locate artifacts for the Canadian Navy Museum in Calgary and refuses to slow down.
Gail Fjordbotten was honoured for his work in agriculture, and as a dedicated community volunteer. From multiple local groups to provincial boards, Fjordbotten’s contributions to his community and province are respected.
Chad Chief Moon received the medal for his commitment to ensuring Indigenous youth can participate in sport, particularly the traditional role of lacrosse in the Blackfoot culture. He is known for his dedication to the youth in his community.
The late Bill Dunn was honoured for more than 30 years of volunteer work at the Museum of the Highwood in High River, which launched his passion to preserve and commemorate western history, including adding markers to the Old Macleod Trail between Fort Benton, Montana and Fort Calgary.
Other recipients in the Foothills riding were Howard (Dyce) Bolduc, Chris Cederstrand, Anna De Paoli, Brent Dodginghorse, Dean Compton, Scott Hardy, Constant Lynk, Zak Madell, Stacey Meyer, Richard Oncescu, Ralph Onciul, Craig Passmore, Heather Pfeil, Scott Seymour, Lisa Sygutek, Dr. Ted Shacklady, Woodrow Theroux, Justin Thomson, Elizabeth Vigueras Segundo and Dr. Ron Wallace.
