Eight people have been awarded a Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal today with a First Nations elder from North Battleford as one of the recipients.
Ray Fox has been involved in the First Nations community for many years in several different roles. He is an elder, a current City Councillor for North Battleford and is one of 8 senators for the National Association of Friendship Centres among his other achievements.
He says he was honoured to receive the distinction.
“Anytime a person gets recognized by his peers or from people who are ‘in the know’ about your efforts it feels good and you can never really get enough these days.”
Fox hopes First Nations youth will be inspired by this award to follow in his footsteps.
“It can be done,” said Fox. “There are rewards for efforts and I think that’s what this medal means to me.”
The other recipients for this year’s award are:
John Barton – Saskatoon
Tina Bird – Estevan
Marnie Eistetter – Regina
Don McDonald – Saskatoon
Harold Ross – Fort Qu’Appelle
Edith Slatnik – Outlook
Darren Whitehead – Prince Albert.
This is the 20th year the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal has been given out.