Sixty thousand Canadians are being honoured with Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals during the 60^th anniversary of HRH Queen Elizabeth’s reign.

On August 30, six Cranbrook and two Kimberley residents were bestowed with such honours during the Cranbrook Rotary Club’s lunch meeting at the Heritage Inn, by Kootenay Columbia MP David Wilks.

The two Kimberley residents to receive medals were David Ekskog, of the Kimberley Pipe Band, and retired Canadian Army Lieutenant Colonel Don Wallace, now a regional rancher.

Receiving the medals from Cranbrook was: Garry Anderson, Orville Anderson, James Hong, Scott Manjak, Liz Schatschneider and Heather Smith.

Garry Anderson is the beating heart and executive director of the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, while veteran Orville Anderson (pictured upper left) has been an active member of the Cranbrook Royal Canadian Legion for 30 plus years.

James Hong is the former long-time mayor of the Alberta town in which he was born and raised, Cluny. In addition he spent 20 years as a school board trustee and was chief of the local volunteer fire department for quarter of a century. An honorary chief of the Blackfoot Tribe, he is also a lifetime member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Former City of Cranbrook Mayor and Regional District of East Kootenay board chair and Kootenay East Regional Hospital District chair Scott Manjak, now a Sparwood resident, and a former councillor from his council, Liz Schatschneider, were also honoured.

Lifelong resident Schatschneider (only pictured in group shot above) has been the epi-centre of planning for the the Sam Steele Days parade since 1996 and has been involved in many facets of community life and leadership.

Mega-volunteer Heather Smith, who seems to be everywhere, has given countless hours to the Sam Steele Youth Ambassadors Program, Kin Club of Cranbrook and Canadian Cancer, along with several other community organizations and events.

The medal recipients were nominated by peers.

e-KNOW

Photos courtesy Raeleen Manjak

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