30 recipients awarded King’s medal

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This article was published 11/03/2025 (191 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Thirty western Manitobans — all nominated by people in their communities — are now proud recipients of the King Charles III Coronation Medal.

The medal recognizes and honours citizens for their outstanding contributions to their communities, reflecting the values of service, compassion, and dedication.

It was created in 2023 to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III.

“A bolt from the blue,” is how Brandon’s Grant Hamilton described how he felt when he found out he would be receiving a medal.

It was in an email from Brandon-Souris Conservative MP Larry Maguire, whose office called for and received the nominations for Westman.

“Humbled,” said Hamilton. “Thrills and excitement are part of it, but it’s really the humility that is sticking with me.”

Hamilton is a board member for several non-profits in the Wheat City, and is founder of Bike Brandon, an organization that aims to make the city more bike friendly. He’s also in the midst of a fundraising campaign for Tour 21, a charity ride affiliated with the famed cycling event Tour de France.

His goal is to raise $55,000, which will be added to the £1 million that will fund clinical trials to support leukemia research.

“It is an honour to be nominated and recognized, but there are also echoes of grade school report cards,” Hamilton said.

“I also see this as potential that somebody has seen in me — not just in the work that I’ve done, because I don’t think that I’ve done anything super unusual compared to some of the other people who are making our community wonderful.

“It’s an inspiration to keep going, keep doing things, and try to make Brandon better.”

Hamilton is one of 30,000 Canadians to receive the medal.

Three ceremonies were scheduled for Westman. The first medal ceremony was held Monday at noon at Brandon’s Army and Navy Hall on 14th Street. The second ceremony of the day happened at 7 p.m., at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch on 13th Street East in Brandon. The Virden ceremony honouring that area’s recipients will be held this evening at 7 p.m., at the Royal Canadian Legion, 540 Eighth Ave. South.

Maguire is in Westman and will attend all three ceremonies. He told the Sun that volunteers are the lifeblood of all communities.

“Without volunteers, Canada and these communities don’t exist with the same vitality and spunk,” Maguire said.

“The energy of a community comes through its volunteers, small businesspeople and many others. But without volunteers, many national events just don’t happen. Canada Summer Games hosted here in Brandon and Westman is a prime example.”

Each recipient will receive a certificate and the medallion, which is attached to a ribbon that can be pinned to their garment.

Maguire related a story of meeting a woman after a ceremony, only to realize she had done much more than was on her nomination form.

“She told me, ‘I was secretary of six different organizations at one time,’ and I said, ‘There was nothing like that on your resume,’” he said with a laugh, adding,

“So, everyone has been so very excited and deserving to be recognized for this great honour.”

Once Hamilton told his family about the award, he said his mom looked for and found a commemorative tie that had been in the family for years. It is a collector’s item celebrating Queen Elizabeth II, when she was crowned on June 2, 1953.

“It is sort of a baby blue with a portrait of the young queen,” Hamilton said. “It’s a very large picture of the queen on the bottom of the tie, with the royal insignia above it.

“So, considering this is a coronation medal for her son, King Charles III, I thought it would be a special touch to recognize the coronation of his mom.”

There were 11 recipients who were recognized Monday at noon — Sylvia Barr, Chad Berry, Douglas Carmichael, Carolyn Gwyer, Myrtle Hudson, Len Isleifson, Darryl Jackson, Enid Pottinger, Peter Reiss, L.G. (Gerry) Sayer and Shawn Wood.

Fourteen people received their medal Monday evening — Giselle Beaupré, Lorna Cowan, Liana Dearsley, Frederick Michael Fisher, Sean Fisher, Kerselin Fumier, Grant Hamilton, Reinhold (Ron) Helwer, Whitney Hodgins, Tamara Kavanaugh, Deanna Rexe, Bruce Tascona, Donald Thomson and Petro Zaliskyy.

There are five western Manitobans scheduled to receive their medals this evening in Virden — Racquel Halland, Bradley Hayward, Kimberly MacKenzie, Elizabeth (Betty) Minshull and Donna Todd.

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