The Queen's Diamond Jubilee began in February 2012, in celebration of the 60-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The Royal Canadian Mint created 60,000 medals, which are awarded to outstanding Canadians of all ages and from all walks of life, across the country.
"The Queen has chosen the theme of service for this milestone year, and so it is most appropriate that Canada created a Diamond Jubilee Medal, which celebrates both Her Majesty's lifetime of service and the outstanding contributions of deserving citizens," said Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Solomon Schofield, during a medal presentation recently held in Regina. "On behalf of our sovereign, I thank each medal recipient for their commitment to the greater good."
A local ceremony was held in Weyburn on November 14 at the Legion. Souris-Moose Mountain Member of Parliament, Ed Komarnicki, presented a number of local and regional volunteers with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Those recipients were George Bacon of Ogema, Fred Groshong and his wife Kathryn Groshong, Edgar Kuhn, Larry Pearson and Marlo Pritchard of Weyburn, Barbara Swallow of Maryfield and Kyle Wilton of Stoughton.
In Estevan on November 16, Mr. Komarnicki also presented Irene Doty, John Pott and John Wilson of Carlyle, Brian Glass of Weyburn, Donald Lees of Arcola, Peter Piper of Stoughton and Kenneth Turner of Midale each with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Recipients are largely comprised of life-long service-oriented, community-enriching individuals who have made such a profound impact that someone has nominated them for this honour.
For Weyburn's Chief of Police, community involvement is - and always has been - a part of the package. Marlo Pritchard was nominated by an affiliate through the Regina Police Service, where Pritchard served for just over 30 years before coming to Weyburn. He stated that he originally joined the police service out of a desire to help others.
"Policing... has fulfilled that desire to help other people," said Pritchard, who has given his time throughout the years to various youth activities and sports.
"I felt quite humbled," he said of hearing about the lives of the other recipients. "Some of them are very accomplished community leaders."
Fred and Kathryn Groshong, originally from Torquay and Oungre respectively, have only been in the city for 13 years, but their family farm is still going more than 100 years strong near Torquay.
Kathryn Groshong said that, when they were first married in 1945, they had no plumbing, electricity or telephones in their farm house. Fred was a farmer and Kathryn was a school teacher, but their community involvement had begun long before they'd met, since they were both musical and therefore played at church. The two continue to use their musical gift to this day.
"Fred and I have lived under four monarchs," said Groshong. "King George V, first, then King Edward VIII, who abdicated, then King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and then Queen Elizabeth II."
Groshong said that she and Fred remember the 'dirty thirties' very well. She described the struggles of drought, poverty and sickness in those days.
"It was a different world," she said. "We grew up being very careful of our money."
"We never went hungry," said Fred Groshong, who kept busy serving on various boards in addition to his busy farming life, including 4H, Co-op, Wheat Pool and more.
The Groshongs raised four children and they now have ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The couple's community involvement could fill an entire book.
Just like with playing music in church, Fred and Kathryn's volunteer service came about as naturally as anything. There were roles to be filled and needs to be met.
"Fred joined the school board before we even had kids," chuckled Kathryn, whose interest in community enrichment - from rallying for regional libraries and community colleges to serving with the Women's Institute and more - led her down plenty of dirt roads in the days when those roads were not so nice to travel. But the Groshongs remained committed to their causes.
"That kind of work had to be done in the wintertime," she added. "There was no time for it in the spring, summer and fall when you were farming."
The Groshongs said that the community work had to be done, so they did it. They noted that none of it would have been possible without the team work between the two of them, amid their own family and of course, within their village.
"We couldn't have done it all if we hadn't worked together," said Kathryn Groshong.
A lifetime of sharing has been rewarded, indeed, but the real rewards can be found within the communities that have been enhanced by the hard work and dedication of the Groshongs and each of the other 60,000 recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
