Seven more area residents have been recognized by the Queen this week for their service to their country as part of the monarch’s diamond jubilee.
Lillian Boddez, Rick Curtis, Suzan Krecsy, Sheila O’Kelly, Mary O’Neill and Mayor Nolan Crouse were among 111 Albertans to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal Wednesday from Premier Alison Redford.
City resident Wendy Stiver also received the medal Thursday night from Kirk de Fazio of Special Olympics Alberta. She could not be reached by press time.
The medal, of which 60,000 will be awarded, recognizes those who have made significant contributions to Canada and commemorates Queen Elizabeth’s 60th year on the throne.
Boddez was recognized for her lifelong commitment to volunteerism in Morinville. The town presented her with a Legacy Award last April in recognition of her efforts.
Boddez said she got her start about 50 years ago selling pay-as-you-pull tickets for a Christian lady’s group in town. The tickets had random prices printed on them and were used in a draw. “The one who sold the most was crowned queen, and I won.”
Boddez kept volunteering for the next five decades at curling clubs, church and town festivals. “A cause gets my adrenaline running,” she explained, and keeps her busy during retirement.
She authored a pictorial history book for the town, organized fundraisers for the town’s centennial fountain and clock tower, and recently published a prayer book to raise funds to fix the steeple of St. Jean Baptiste church.
Her brother (fire chief Ron Cust), husband, and children are also active volunteers in town, she noted. “It’s kind of been a way of life for us.”
Krecsy was honoured for her creation of the community village program at the St. Albert Food Bank.
“It was something to address the root cause of what was bringing the food bank clients in to see us,” said Krecsy, who is the bank’s executive director. Established in 2010, the program features a social worker, a community kitchen, legal advisors and wellness courses to help food bank users get their lives on track. “It’s a one-stop shop.”
Krecsy said she was humbled by her recognition, but emphasized that the community village could not have happened without the support of the food bank’s board and volunteers. “The camaraderie and strength of a community come from the people who give back.”
Crouse earned his medal for his 31 years of coaching hockey and his many years in office as a councillor, mayor, and chair of the Capital Region Board. He was on the giving end of this award last September when he presented a posthumous medal to Richard Fowler.
He said he felt very proud to be on the receiving end this time. “You wish your mom was there.”
Crouse said he got into politics because he wanted to use his skills to give back to society. “I think it’s the love of watching other people succeed,” he said. “Watching good things happen meant a lot more to me than money.”
O’Neill was recognized for her years in office and her work in bringing French immersion to the St. Albert Catholic school district. Her husband, John “Jack” O’Neill, received the jubilee medal in September.
“I’m quite honoured to have it along with my husband,” O’Neill said, and to be recognized along with so many impressive Albertans.
O’Neill served as St. Albert’s MLA from 1997 to 2004, during which she wrestled with issues such as health care and a potential teachers’ strike. She was also a Catholic board trustee for many years, during which she worked with her Protestant counterpart, Lois Hole, to bring K-to-12 French immersion to the city.
Curtis got his medal for his decades of advocacy for parks and recreation in Alberta.
The city resident spent about 20 years with the provincial parks department, during which he helped create the Community Facility Enhancement Program, and later lead the Alberta Recreation & Parks Association. He also led the St. Albert Minor Baseball Association in the 1990s, during which he oversaw the construction of its clubhouse.
O’Kelly got her medal for her decades of work promoting triathlons in Alberta. One of the founders of the St. Albert Triathlon, she is best known for introducing the Kids of Steel program to the city, and for organizing seven International Triathlon Union races in Edmonton.
Visit alberta.ca/DiamondJubileeMedal.cfm for the list of Wednesday’s recipients.
