Similar to her provincial counterpart, Nanaimo-Ladysmith's member of Parliament will recognize area residents for exemplary service to the community.
Sheila Malcolmson, then Nanaimo MLA, announced King Charles III Coronation Medal winners in early September. Similarly, MP Lisa Marie Barron hosted a luncheon for 58 nominees at the Coast Bastion Hotel on Saturday, Nov. 2.
The nominees are George Anderson (community advocate), Horst Backe (Reaching Out Assisting Refugees), Roger Bird (Vancouver Island Military Museum), David Boyce (mental health advocate), Joel Canfield (cycling advocate), Kathleen Darby (culture-education-hospitality leader), Guy Dauncey (author, climate educator), Barbara Desprez (posthumously, Nanaimo Theatre Group) and Grace Elliott-Nielsen (Tillicum Lelum Friendship Centre).
Jim Fiddick (Cedar Community Hall), Steven Fielden (labour activist), Susan Fisher (Nanaimo and Area Land Trust), Terre Flower (anti-racism champion), Bert Forrest (Royal Canadian Legion Branch 10), and William Good (Snuneymuxw master carver).
Melissa Griswold (cycling-community advocate), Ron Gueulette (Cranberry Volunteer Fire Department), Wendy Hall (posthumously, people with diverse abilities advocate), Cyndy Hall (missing/murdered Indigenous females advocate), Jean-Michel Hanssens (environmentalist), Tony Harris (Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation) and Violet Hayes (Island Crisis Care Society).
Mandy Hayre (dental care advocate for vulnerable people), Tanya Hiltz (Wisteria Community Association), Ron Hopper (Friends of HMCS Nanaimo), Gary Howk (Royal Canadian Legion Branch 257), Blaise Hunter (reproductive health rights advocate), Robb Hunter (youth sports leader), Vicki Jones (Royal Canadian Legion Branch 257), Susanne Lee (Island Crisis Care Society) and Imogene Lim (educator-community organizer).
Jason Lott (Royal Canadian Legion Branch 10), Coun. Paul Manly (City of Nanaimo), Abby Matthews and Colin Matthews (Royal Canadian Legion Branch 10), Kerilie McDowall (musician-filmmaker), Stephanie McDowall (posthumously, social advocate), Brian McFadden (Vancouver Island Military Museum) and Richard Meyers (LGBTQ activist).
Kate Mosse (Wiltshire Education Society), Alexander Nielsen (B.C. Wildfire Service), Chelsea Oaten (sex health educator), Leo Oster (author), Graham Pike (Wiltshire Education Society), Lynn Redekopp (Royal Canadian Legion Branch 10), Michael Ribicic (teacher), Tom Roden (radio host), Georgina Rosewall (posthumously, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 257) and Scot Rounding (Nanaimo Navy League).
Deborah Saucier (Vancouver Island University), Lauren Semple (LGBTQ advocate), Doug Slowski (Air Cadet League of Canada), Jefferson Stanway (engineering-robotics), Janine Stokoe (2422 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps parent support committee), Iris Taylor (labour activist), Susan Toth (South Wellington and Area Community Association), Kerrie Vockeroth (community volunteer) and Joann Walton-Hatch (Royal Canadian Legion Branch 256).
Barron said the nominees are "unsung heroes" and 20 will be conferred with a medal, with the matter currently in the hands of the Governor General of Canada, as part of the nomination process.
Assisting Barron was a selection committee – Regional District of Nanaimo board chairperson Vanessa Craig, Town of Ladysmith Coun. Duck Patterson, Lantzville Mayor Mark Swain, City of Nanaimo Coun. Erin Hemmens, United Way B.C. director Signy Madden, and Nanaimo Duncan District Labour Council president Jenn MacPherson.
Medal recipients will be revealed in the coming months.
Laurie Grubb (Royal Canadian Legion Branch 256), Amanda Hall (B.C. People First Society), Peter Sinclair (Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank) and Const. Joshua Waltman (Nanaimo RCMP) were awarded medals by Malcolmson.
The medals are awarded in honour of King Charles III's ascension to the British throne.
