This year there was no youth nominees Jessica Matsalla - City Clerk, with the City told the regular meeting of Council.
The awards recognize recipients in three categories, (‘Adult,’ ‘Youth’ and ‘Group’), who have given selfless support, and made contributions for the betterment of the City of Yorkton.
As a result, two group awards were presented; to the Yorkton branch of the Royal Canadian Legion – Honouring Our Veterans Banner Project Committee and to the Yorkton Brick Mill Society Committee.
In the adult category, Dave Blommaert is the recipient.
In making the report to Council Matsalla read from the nomination forms of the three recipients.
In the case of Blommaert it noted in his work, hobbies, personal life and Yorkton Lions has always been a "go to" person.
He has worked tirelessly for the Yorkton Community and is a true ambassador for Yorkton.
In addition to being a Lion for over 30 years Dave has been involved with Yorkton Minor Hockey, a director of Yorkton Minor Baseball and could often be helping out with coaching, organizing tournaments, bottle drives, hot dog sales, selling tickets or just offering help wherever needed. Dave has canvassed for the Heart & Stroke Association, the Cancer Society and the United Way. He helps out with distributing Daffodils for Cancer Society annually. In addition, Dave volunteers with The Health Foundation at their fundraising events and even dedicates his time to cutting grass at a rural cemetery.
The Lions have recognized Dave's leadership and have awarded him a Melvin Jones Fellowship and a Garnet Davis Fellowship.
The Legion banner committee includes Tamara Hall, Shawn Hall, Brittany Johnson, Ken Gordon, Perry Ostapowich, Geoffrey Rushowick, David Balysky, Chad McDowell, Peter Wyatt, and Karen Parker.
“How wonderful that the breadth of this program’s criteria is so inclusive! Recognition includes veterans who have a connection to the city of Yorkton and Treaty 4 area; embracing those who lived and worked here, whether they have served as Canadian military, medics, firefighters or RCMP. It also includes service-people from elsewhere who have area friends and family wishing to honor and remember them,” noted the nominator.
“This team of visionaries deserves celebrating. Their commitment to see the banner program as a legacy project that will continue to evolve and grow over time speaks to younger generations of the importance of always remembering.”
The Mill Society “was formed in 2011 to save the Yorkton Brick Flour Mill which is the only brick mill left in Saskatchewan as the remaining mills are wooden. This building is Yorkton’s oldest industrial building and it comes with working machinery still intact. The building is owned by the City of Yorkton and it is noteworthy that a group of volunteers are working to save it and preserve part of the history of Yorkton ...
“Recently the committee learned that they were to be presented with three awards. Heritage Saskatchewan selected them for the Yorkton Historic Flour Mill Outreach Award as well as the Yorkton Historic Flour Mill – Building Conservation Award. These awards were presented at Government House by the Honourable Russell Mirasty, Lt Governor of Saskatchewan on Nov. 2, 2021. The third award is from The Sask Heritage Foundation (Funding Agency) who in honour of their thirtieth anniversary created a special award, of which the Yorkton Brick Mill Heritage Society shall be the recipient.”
The awards mark the fourth year they have been presented. They will be formally presented at three separate Council meetings in the new year.
