Community builders honoured with King Charles III Coronation medals

Sasakamoose is a founding member of the BC Native Women’s Society and her resume of community involvement includes serving as a member of the Cariboo College Board, the BC Board of Parole, the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation Board, the Roman Catholic Diocese Social Justice Board and the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre Community Advisory Board.

“I don’t expect anything for what I do. I do it because I want to, and I do it because I see a need, and I do it for the betterment of, mainly, our people,” she told CFJC, adding that her approach to community involvement stems from the education she received from elders growing up.

Sasakamoose is currently 86 years old, turning 87 later this spring, but says she doesn’t have plans to stop working for the betterment of the area she calls home.

“I’ll never stop working. I’m too lively, for lack of a better word. I can’t stand to sit around and watch the world go by,” she adds. “I’ve got to be involved, I’ve got to do my part, I’ve got to lend whatever hand I’ve got to lend wherever I can lend it.”

The youngest recipient among the honourees was Cassie McNutt of Kamloops, whose annual charity drive has collectively raised more than $200,000 for the Kamloops Hospice Association. McNutt says being included with the accomplished people in the room serves as an example of what a lifetime of giving your time and effort for the community looks like.

“It’s amazing hearing everyone else’s stories and what they’ve done with their lives, and it’s exciting to be able to be starting young and have that to look up to,” she says. “It just kind of makes me realize that I’ve been doing this for such a short time but I have so much time coming ahead, too, to be able to continue and do some new, amazing things.”

McNutt started her charity drive as a young teen and she’s now attending university. As life pulls her in different directions, the young philanthropist says she wants to ensure her donation drive can still benefit the community in a different way.

“I’m starting up a new scholarship fund to hopefully be able to inspire and reward other people that are my age that are starting similar initiatives or just giving back to something bigger than themselves,” she explains. “It’s truly rewarding to see how much of an impact you can actually have on people, no matter how old you are.”

Full list of medal recipients:

Dianne Barker
Joshua Burneau
Deborah Buszard
Ambo Dhaliwal
James Fedorak
Jill Hayward
Bryce Herman
Diena Jules
Dianne Keir
Oleksandr Kondrashov
John Kuharski
Garry Limpright
Enzo Lizzi
Janice MacDonald
Daniel Martin
Cassie McNutt
Rowena Muglich
Terry Murphy
Mona Murray
Andy Philpot
Mike Ritcey
Gordon Sands
Ramona Sands
Muriel Sasakamoose
Leah Scott
Terry Shupe
Danica Wilkinson
Keegan Willey
Ruth Williams

by Dylana Kneeshaw

Community builders honoured with King Charles III Coronation medals

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