Honouring St. Vital’s Jubilee medal recipients

Happy new year!

I would like to start the new year by acknowledging some of the incredible people who help make St. Vital the community it is. This past December, my MLA colleagues and I had the opportunity to award 10 community builders the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medal.

There are so many deserving people who have made and are making a huge difference throughout our community, and I was happy to recognize 10 of these great folks and thank them for all they’ve done for St. Vital and Manitoba.

Several medal recipients, along with the teams of people they work with, have made a real difference through community organizations like the Barbara Mitchell Family Resource Centre, Norberry-Glenlee Community Centre, and the Marlene Street Community Resource Centre. Other recipients have helped break down systemic barriers within our education and child-care systems, including those at Teen Stop Jeunesse, who work with countless young people and provide hope for a better future. Other recipients have shown an outstanding commitment to the environment, conservation, and creating positive greenspaces for the enjoyment of the entire community through organizations such as Save Our Seine River Environment and Bishop Grandin Greenway. Recipients have also worked to build greater equity in our community through Black History Manitoba and by promoting an inclusive culture for all Manitobans.

The 10 recipients were:

• Bonnie Ash;

• Melissa Brown;

• Sean Fedorowich;

• Bob Holliday;

• Michelle Meade;

• Margaret Pratt;

• Florence Quan;

• Laurie Ringaert;

• Nadia Thompson;

• Rhonda Thompson.

I especially want to recognize Platinum Jubilee medal recipient Bob (Doc) Holliday, who was for many years the president of the St. Vital Historical Society. Bob passed away in late December 2022, and I send my deepest condolences to his family, friends and all who knew him. He was a true champion of all things St. Vital and his legacy will be felt for years to come, especially at the St. Vital Museum.

I want to thank all of the recipients, all of the volunteers within the organizations represented, and all the people who work behind the scenes for their dedication to making our St. Vital community a better place for everyone. I also encourage you all to reach out to any of these organizations if you are interested in making a difference in our community.

As always, please feel free to get in touch with me by email at jamie.moses@yourmanitoba.ca or by phone at 204-219-5407.