Jason Shaw and Gerrid Gust were honoured Oct. 10 for their strong volunteerism throughout the years. Each man received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal at Government House in Regina.
Milan Puckett was also awarded with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work on Davidson town council first as an alderman for four years starting in 1976 and then as mayor of Davidson from 1980 to 1988.
During her tenure as mayor, Puckett was able to upgrade badly needed infrastructure in the town including a lift station, treatment plant, new well, streetlights and pavement. She regularly worked from early in the morning to late at night to help build the town into what it is today.
Puckett was unable to attend the ceremony due to health reasons, but will be presented with the medal here in town by Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre MP Tom Lukiwski at a later date.
Gust said it was “really nice to be honoured” for his national and provincial agricultural work. He was nominated by Lukiwski and presented with the medal by Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Vaughn Solomon Schofield at the ceremony.
“There is a lot of people that maybe should get it and didn’t, but it was really nice to see the volunteer work that I do get recognized,” he said.
Gust is currently the chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association, which is a voluntary farm policy organization that is dedicated to creating a more profitable and sustainable agriculture industry. He is also the Wheat Growers representative on the board of directors for the Western Grains Research Foundation, which is a farmer funded and directed non-profit organization investing primarily in wheat and barley variety development to benefit western Canadian farmers.
Shaw’s name was put forward for the medal by Bladworth resident Marj Crabbe in recognition for his continued dedication to the town in the form of volunteering with numerous sports clubs and serving as a town councillor for the past six years.
“The (Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal) was to be given to people who went above and beyond the call of duty in their communities and I thought that he actually was a perfect match because of everything he’s done over the years,” said Crabbe. “It’s not just this year that he has volunteered, he’s volunteered as long as he’s been an adult.”
Shaw presently coaches the Davidson Cyclones as well as minor baseball, is the secretary of the Davidson Junior Athletics Association, volunteers with the Kinsmen Club and was instrumental in organizing a group to re-vamp all the Davidson ball diamonds.
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals were created to honour the Queen’s 60th year on the throne and are presented to deserving Canadians who have made an important contribution to a portion of Canada.