They are city councillors, leaders, volunteers, donors and community boosters.
They are the 11 Central Okanagan local champions who will receive King Charles III Coronation Medals at a ceremony Wednesday at Kelowna's Innovation Centre.
"All four of the recipients I helped nominate have donated a lot of their time to make this community better," said Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick.
"They are all well deserving of the recognition."
Kelowna's two other MLAs -- Renee Merrifield (Kelowna-Mission) and Ben Stewart (Kelowna-West) -- also helped nominate medal recipients.
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Nominations weren't open to the public.
Rather, local politicians, the military, community groups and non-profit organizations were asked to submit nominations that the King's representatives in BC and Canada (the provincial Lieutenant Governor's office and Governor General of Canada's office) screened to determine winners.
The Coronation Medal was created to mark King Charles III being crowned monarch of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth on May 6, 2023.
In this country, the Coronation Medal will be awarded to 30,000 deserving Canadians this year.
The criteria for being awarded a medal is wide-ranging, stating that recipients have made a significant contribution to Canada or a particular province, territory or community or attained an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.
The local honourees are:
- Maxine DeHart, Kelowna city councillor and United Way volunteer and fundraiser
- Steve Thomson, former Kelowna-Mission MLA and provincial cabinet minister and co-chair of the Kelowna 2026 Memorial Cup bid committee
- Mohini Singh, Kelowna city councillor, Kelowna Women's Shelter volunteer, co-founder of East Meets West Orphans Foundation
- Larry Gray, marketing and political strategist
- Carmen Rempel, executive director Kelowna's Gospel Mission
- Dr. Rhonda Nelson, executive director Starbright Centre for Child Development
- Domenic Rampone, Rampone Farms and volunteer with Kelowna agriculture advisory committee, Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, Western Canada-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Okanagan Historical Society
- Lois Serwa, long-time volunteer and philanthropist, most recently donating $1 million to the Okanagan College Recreation & Wellness Centre along with her husband, Cliff, a former MLA, provincial cabinet minister and co-founder of Big White Ski Resort
- Peter Wannop, retired realtor, land development consultant and West Kelowna volunteer (Kinsmen Park and Westside Days)
- Maria Byland, co-owner of Bylands Nurseries and Bylands Garden Centre and donor to Kelowna General Hospital Foundation
- Nick Arkle, CEO Gorman Brothers Lumber
The local ceremony is not open to the public.
It's for the recipients and invited guests only.
The medal itself is circular, silver-nickel and 32 mm in diameter (a little bigger than a toonie).
On the front, it bears a crowned and robed effigy of His Majesty with the inscription 'Charles III Dei Gratia Rex' (by the grace of God, King) and 'Canada.'
On the back, there's an illustration of 13 pointed pennants in a circle, a nod to Canada's 13 provinces and territories and the Indigenous Peoples reverence for the circle representing equity and cycles of the natural world.
The medal is suspended from a ribbon and ring (which is identical to the British Coronation Medal ribbon) and is meant to be worn on the left breast.
A big medal ceremony at Government House in Victoria was held July 18 to honour 57 British Columbians, including Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health minister who oversaw BC's response to the COVD pandemic, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria CEO Nancy Noble, BC's first women law dean Maureen Maloney, the longest serving volunteer with the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Alex Muir and Victoria Native Friendship Centre executive director Ronald Rice.
