The Weyburn branch of the Royal Canadian Legion honoured its members Monday night with their annual awards night. The evening was the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic they had held the awards ceremony, with members receiving their service pins that they would have been presented with during the gap.  

In all, there were 82 members who were honoured. Among those was Howard Schmidt, whose family received his pin for 60 years.  

“Howard was such a gem of an individual; you never saw Howard without a smile on his face,” said Legion board member Jerry Ponto of Schmidt. “But the Legion here was incorporated in 1926, and Howard was alive for every one of those years, so bless him for that.” 

Here is the list of those who received awards during the event. Those who were presented a pin posthumously (PH) are noted.  

15 Year Pin 

  • Edward Bartlett 
  • Loretta Cameron 
  • Doreen Guillemin 
  • Wilfrieda Lillejord 
  • Kerwin Miller 
  • Sherrill Taylor 
  • Daryl Wright 

20 Year Pin 

  • David Katschke 
  • Catherine Loden 
  • Jeanette Mabee 
  • Barry May 
  • Tara Neuberger 
  • Joseph Stefaniuk 
  • Grant Vermeulen 

25 Year Pin 

  • Glenn Fairweather 
  • Ronnie Hovanak 
  • Kim Jacob 
  • Frances Oudot 
  • Donald Pindus 
  • William Pulfer 
  • Joseph Rubin 
  • Glenn Swenson 
  • Grant Varley 
  • Margaret Zaborowski 

30 Year Pin 

  • Theresa Girardin 
  • Verdie Mellquist 
  • Gerald Murray 
  • Marcie Swedburg 

35 Year Pin 

  • Peter Andrews 
  • Marlene Babiarz 
  • Kevin Bakken 
  • Wanda Bartlett 
  • Tim Bowser 
  • Elaine Bumstead 
  • Jerry Fowler 
  • Donald Gall 
  • Dale Huff 
  • Valerie Johnson 
  • Valerie Lund 
  • Thomas Moore 
  • Verna Paul 
  • Kenneth Paxman 
  • Charlene Squire 
  • John Tosczak 
  • John Van Winkoop 
  • Lionel Wanner 

40 Year Pin 

  • James Achen 
  • Kenneth Benson 
  • Wade Benson 
  • Valerie Cameron 
  • Wallace Cameron 
  • Roger Clay 
  • John Hearn 
  • Joan Jacobson 
  • George Kalman 
  • James Kilback 
  • John Knox 
  • James Schepens 
  • Kim Van Mourik 

45 Year Pin 

  • Marlene Adderley 
  • Harvey Oudot 

50 Year Pin 

  • Lyle Ballard 
  • Gordon Bell 
  • Glen Branning 
  • James Fairman 
  • Marvin Gisi 
  • Ivan Haddad 
  • Joanne Jahnke 
  • Johnny Johnston 
  • David Paslawski 
  • Gordon Reaney 
  • William Ruckaber 
  • Donald Sealy 
  • Keith Sprecken 
  • Brian Sproat 
  • Neva Squire 
  • David Stockham 
  • George Turner 
The members of the Weyburn branch of the Royal Canadian Legion who received their 50 year pin at the ceremony Monday night. The members of the Weyburn branch of the Royal Canadian Legion who received their 50 year pin at the ceremony Monday night. 

55 Year Pin 

  • Stanley Baird 
  • Mamie Mack 

60 Year Pin 

  • Howard Schmidt 

65 Year Pin 

  • Gordon Button 

Certificate of Appreciation 

  • David Rennie 
  • Gordon Reaney 
  • Irene Gauthier 
  • Kathy Carson 
  • KT Kustom Landscaping 
  • Lloyd Hicks 
  • Marjorie Mcleod 
  • Mike Buchan 
  • Norman "Sam" Hennie 
  • Sereena Ring 
  • Sherrill Taylor 
  • Sherylann Krueger 
  • Victoria Mwamasika 
  • Vortex Plumbing & Heating 
  • Wayne Russel 

Certificate of Merit 

  • Jerry Ponto 
  • Owen White 

The next major event on the calendar for the Weyburn branch of the Royal Canadian Legion will be Decoration Day.  

“Decoration Day comes up on June 4th,” Ponto explained. “We encourage people to again, come out to respect the veterans. We have a flag-placing ceremony beginning at 9:00 a.m. at Hillcrest as well as Green Acres Cemetery. It’s just another way that we like to pay our respects to our veterans.”