March 10, 2023
For Immediate Release
County residents awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals (Alberta) at a presentation ceremony hosted by Red Deer County
Medal recipients must have a direct connection to the province and must have made a significant contribution to the province.
(RED DEER COUNTY) On March 8, 2023 awards and great distinction was bestowed upon five very deserving Red Deer County residents. Mayor Jim Wood and each recipient’s nominees had the honour of presenting The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals (Alberta) to: Dean Hart, Verna Hart (Division 2), Sue Charles, John Charles (Division 6) and David Matheson (Division 5).
Mayor Wood remarked that the “medal recipients lead and tackled challenges head on. They see problems as opportunities instead of obstacles, and that each recipient made a special contribution to our municipality, their achievements have made our community better.”
Division 2 Councilor Lonny Kennett, nominated the Harts for their 30 year contribution to the rural crime watch, both Dean and Verna started with the Hanna Crime Watch in 1995; and continues to dedicate their time. Verna currently volunteers over 100 hours per month to the Alberta Rural Crime Watch. Dean joined the provincial rural crime watch board of directors in 2012 and managed the website portfolio and social media platforms in 2018. He then became a member of the Police Advisory Committee (Red Deer County & Blackfalds RCMP detachment) for their Restorative Justice Program in 2017 and a board member of the Rural Red Deer Restorative Justice Program in 2019.
Division 6 Councilor Christine Moore nominated the Charles for their outstanding 44 years of community service; and noted that they’re steadfast approach of always helping out in the community created multiple generations of people knowing who they were when help was ever needed in Popular Ridge.
David Matheson, from Division 5 was nominated by Stephen Poburan, county peace officer who has seen Matheson devote an endless amount of time and money into rural crime watch, by protecting and keeping the community and the entire municipality safe. David Matheson is also an integral part of the Raven Rural crime watch.
The Medals have been awarded to 7,000 Albertans in 2022, in recognition of their significant contributions to the province. The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Alberta) was created to mark the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s Accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada. The medal honors The Queen and her lifelong service to Canada, as well as those residents of Alberta who, like Her Majesty, have been exemplary in their service to others.
Read more on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal https://www.alberta.ca/queens-platinum-jubilee-medal.aspx
To stay up to date with Red Deer County, visit www.rdcounty.ca or go to our Twitter and Facebook pages.
For more information:
Simoi Cruickshank
Manager, Corporate Communications
Red Deer County
403.357.2357
scruickshank@rdcounty.ca
Group recipients:
(L-R) Red Deer County Councillor Lonny Kennett, medal recipients Dean and Verna Hart, Sue and John Charles, and David Matheson, Mayor Jim Wood, and Councillors Christine Moore and Brent Ramsay.
Red Deer County Patrol:
Centre (L-R) Red Deer County Councillor Brent Ramsay, David Matheson and Stephen Poburan.
