They are a diverse bunch with fascinating life stories, a passion for their chosen fields and a love of Edmonton and its history. The awards were presented on November 3rd at the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre.

Chris Atkin

He was just 16 when he joined the Loyal Edmonton Regiment as a member of the Reserve Force. That was just the beginning for Captain Chris Atkin, a retired telecommunications engineer, and his extraordinary dedication to preserving and interpreting the Regiments history.

When a flood in 1982 damaged many of the Regiments historical artifacts that had been boxed and stored for years, Atkin moved the collection to his home, and restored and catalogued it. He then expanded the collection through fundraising and donations, collecting more than $1 million worth of materials.

In 1985, Atkin established the Loyal Edmonton Regiment Museum Foundation to start a museum for the collection. He worked hard to secure a permanent home for the Museum in the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre. Under his leadership, the museum has grown and now ranks as one of the finest military museums in the country.

Kitty Elliott

For more than 60 years, Kitty Elliott has devoted herself to serving veterans. A war widow, she has been active in numerous veterans organizations including being President of the Edmonton Branch of the Silver Cross Women of Canada, and the current Honorary President of the Strathcona Branch of the RCL.

She has organized Legion fundraisers, led visiting veterans programs, created a knitting program to provide lap blankets to hospitalized veterans, and played a faithful role in the rededication of the Cross of Sacrifice to the Churchill Square Cenotaph.

Outside of veterans affairs, Elliot has fundraised for women in need and for the Neonatal Unit of the University Hospital. As well, she is an accomplished poet, having won awards from the Womens Institute of Alberta for her writings that focus on the service of veterans and exploring issues of war and peace.

Liz Iggulden

Through her dedication and more than 20 years service to the Old Strathcona Foundation, Liz Iggulden has stood for heritage preservation and education. Her associated with the OSF began in 1984, when she was hired as an acting secretary.

Iggulden was soon conducting walking tours, organizing fundraising and events and helping to produce the OSF history newsletter. When City of Edmonton funding to OSF abruptly ended in late 1995, the Foundation was forced to let all its staff go, except for Iggulden, who worked two days a week.

Her passion and commitment helped expand the organizations reach. Partnerships with other organizations, like the Edmonton and District Historical Society and Historic Edmonton Week, enabled OSF to reach new heights. Iggulden retired as secretary in 2005, leaving a strong foundation for the future.

Charles Simmonds

A decorated English World War I veteran, Charles Simmonds came to Edmonton from British Columbia in 1934 and plunged into community life, soon becoming President of the McKernan District Community League. When Simmonds became the President of the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues (EFCL) in 1948, community leagues were floundering.

For the next 13 years, he promoted a bold vision and battled with civic leaders to preserve the volunteer and community-based approach to recreational programming that community leagues provided. He also reorganized the EFCL internally and founded the EFCLs Community Life magazine. Community leagues were reinvigorated, and they increased in number from 17 to 63, plus five affiliated leagues in the Jasper Place area.

Simmonds also served two years on city council. He promoted recreation by initiating the Boysdale Camp; chairing the Edmonton Recreation Commission; and serving on the Edmonton and Alberta Safety Council and the Athletic Council of the Edmonton Wrestling and Boxing Commission, among others.

For many years, he fought for the preservation of Edmontons parkland, including the River Valley, as recreational areas for use by all. Charles Simmonds passed away on November 12, 1962, shortly after being awarded an EFCL Lifetime Membership.

Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway Association

Founded in 1947, the goal of the Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway Association was to promote the construction of a cross-Canada highway using the Yellowhead Pass. In founding the Association, Mayor Harry Ainlay brought together the 25-year movement to build a highway from Edmonton to Jasper, and a desire by Edmonton businessmen and professionals to link the city to the rest of the country.

Despite a lack of support from Ottawa, the Association co-operated with western governments and municipalities, and in 1970, the Yellowhead Highway opened. Since then, the Association has promoted the highways improvement and maintenance.

In 1986, Federal Transport Minister Don Mazankowski proclaimed the highway as part of the National Highway System. The Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway Association, as it is now known, has since successfully pushed the twinning of the highway.

The Edmonton-based Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway Association has played a crucial role in networking western communities including Edmonton, the largest population centre on the highway. A unique organization in Western Canada, the Association exemplifies the co-operative spirit and innovation of the communities it represents.

The University of Alberta Museums Collection

The University of Alberta Museums Collection includes 35 diverse collections of history specimens, artifacts, and artworks of local, national, and international scope, collected over the nearly 100-year history of the university. Each collection is curated by a volunteer faculty member under the coordination and training of the Department of Museums and Collection Services. The Friends of the University of Alberta Museums assists with fundraising and outreach activities.

The treasures include the Art and Artifact Collections 5,000 objects and the Dr. Oliver Cromwell Edwards Collection of Plains Indian Artifacts. Recent exhibitions with a local focus include The Art of Inspiration, which included historical works and contemporary works inspired by them, and Edmonton Inspires I and II, which documented how the U of A and Edmonton have inspired curators, professors, and researchers.