Many Semiahmoo Peninsula movers and shakers were recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medallion, presented June 30 at an afternoon tea ceremony Hazelmere Golf and Tennis Club.
A total of 63 platinum medallions – marking the 70-year reign of the Queen – were handed out by South Surrey-White Rock Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay at the ceremony.
A media release noted that the medallions were commissioned by Findlay to celebrate “those who make our community better, while paying tribute to the lifetime of work and commitment of the Queen.”
Among those presented was honorary Rotarian Moti Bali, who volunteered virtually every day for two years for Feed My City, a Rotary-White Rock City project that provided hot lunches to people in need in uptown White Rock during the pandemic, at a time when area churches had been forced to suspend their free lunch programs.
Bali, who not only helped distribute lunches but also established and maintained crucial personal contact with regular participants during the course of the program was identified by Findlay as the Peninsula resident who had received the most nominations for the medallion.
Among others who were presented with the medallion citing their contributions to the community were veteran broadcast journalist George Garrett, a member of the White Rock and South Surrey Probus Club and the White Rock Rotary Club, and also co-founder of the Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society.
Percy Smith, a Merchant Navy and D-Day veteran, and Probus Club member, recently appointed the club’s secretary – at the age of 99 – received a standing ovation during presentation of his medallion.
Among other notable recipients were former Surrey South MLA (and now Canada’s first Chief Accessibility Officer) Stephanie Cadieux; South Surrey and White Rock Chamber of Commerce executive director Ritu Khanna; White Rock Pride Society chair Ernie Klassen; Surrey councillor Linda Annis, UNITI chief executive officer Doug Tennant; and SOURCES chief executive officer David Young.
Medallions also went CARP president Ramona Kaptyn, Equitas Society and Canadian Walk for Veterans co-founder Marc Burchell; environmentalist David Riley and marketing and communications executive (and Foster Martin representative) Norman Stowe.
Two other White Rock Rotary Club members honoured were Kristina Eng, in recognition of her fundraising work to help families escape the current regime in Afghanistan; and Irene Dahl, for her contributions to Rotary generally.
Other recipients were Donald Alton, Darren Alexander, Shauna Anderson, David Anderson, Dr. Gurjeet Bains, Dr. Dorothea Bergen, Roxanne Black, Shane Brown, Heather Crawford, Patricia Corder, Winston Conyers, Ken Day, Richard Dorfer, Dr. Ernie Fuller, James Good, Ed Hird, Barry Hickman, Edith Katronis, Matthew Kane, Megan Knight, Cici Liang, Manjit Lit, Norman MacLeod, James McCawley, Dr. Alex Mazurek, Margaret McDermott, Shukrieh Ruth Merlet, Sharon Narrow, Dr. Laura Ozolins, Dil Pangalia, Sonu Parhar, Chris Payette, James Purcell, Stewart Peddermors, Roger Prouse, Louise Prouse, Marlene Penner, Patricia Silvester-Lee, Paul Schwartz, Simie Schtroks, Percival Smith, Denice Thompson, Upkar Tatlay, Rona Tepper, Sosy Terzian, Jagtar Uppal, Sheila Veness, Lorna Wilson and James Yu.