REGINA — Kenneth Turner received the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers from Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty at a ceremony at Government House in Regina.
The medal recognizes the exceptional volunteer achievements of Canadians from across the country in a wide range of fields, and pays tribute to the dedication and commitment of volunteers.
"Congratulations Ken on receiving the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers and thank you for all you have done and continue to do for our province," said Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty in a post on his social media.
Turner was nominated for the award by the Royal Canadian Legion for volunteering with the Midale and Estevan branches for over 50 years. However, he has a much more extensive record of volunteerism, as he also served as an Aide-de-Camp from 2012-2018 for Lt. Governor Vaughn Solomon Schofield.
Turner has volunteered for his local community as well in many ways, including on the 100th Anniversary Committee for the Town of Midale. He has been a deacon at Bethlehem Lutheran Church since 1991 where he also taught Sunday school.
Turner had a long career as a high school teacher, and during that time, he also spent a great deal of time volunteering. He was particularly active in sports, volunteering as a coach for volleyball, softball, and track and field. In addition, he set up golf programs and hosted golf tournaments and playoffs.
Turner served as an instructor with the army cadets in Estevan and as vice president and director of the Army Cadet League of Canada.
The recent recognition was in the works for a long time, Turner said in the interview with Mercury and SaskToday, but for a while, he didn't know much about it.
"I knew something was coming. I just didn't know what," said Turner, reflecting on the honour. "From what I can gather, the medals themselves are in a backlog – two years, if not more," he added, noting the extensive delay caused by the pandemic.
The award certificate is dated 2023, and Turner noted the legion probably nominated him even before that. A call came this January. The presentation was arranged after months of co-ordination between Turner and the Lieutenant Governor's office.
"We picked the date for the presentation and had everybody there," Turner said.
His son and daughter attended, alongside his sister and Craig Bird, who represented the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.
"It was really good," Turner said, reflecting on the day.
The roots of Turner's commitment to volunteerism run deep. Growing up with parents and grandparents actively involved in the legion, the Odd Fellows, IODE, the legion auxiliary, Kinsmen and other local organizations. Service was a natural part of his life.
"As a result, I picked the group, and I stayed with it," he explained his connection to the legion.
The family connection to the legion was no accident, either. Turner's grandfather was in the First World War, and he joined what was called the Great War Veterans Association, then the British Empire Service League, which became the Royal Canadian Legion Canada, Turner noted. His dad was in the Navy in the Second World War.
Turner's connection to the cadets began in 1962 and has remained strong ever since. Reflecting on how it shaped him, he said, "I was off as a teenager, right off the wall almost. But it gave me a slot – fixed in like a timetable."
That structure became a foundation for his lifelong dedication to service.
Despite changes in both the legion and the cadet programs over the years, Turner remains committed. He highlighted the challenges of getting older and younger veterans to work together within the legion, noting, "There's a real dichotomy between Second World War veterans, Korean veterans, and then what we did as Canadians after that, … those who came out of United Nations activities like Afghanistan, Bosnia ... It's a struggle to make that juxtaposition between modern stuff and the older stuff."
Turner's work with the cadets remains a big source of pride.
"I like kids. ... Grades 7, 8, 9, that middle years, they're full of hell, but they're good. If you're honest with them, they'll follow you anywhere," he said. He emphasized the importance of building confidence in the cadets, especially in the early years of the program.
Turner's dedication extends beyond his work with the cadets. When the local legion in Midale closed, he stepped in to keep the Remembrance Day ceremonies going.
"Being the fool that I am, I put my foot right in the middle of it," he joked. "Now I've been doing it for six years."
But the importance of honouring veterans and educating younger generations keeps him motivated.
Volunteering was always a part of Turner's life, a need for which he never doubted. But while a lot of families still come to Remembrance Day ceremonies, he noticed the legion and service clubs don't seem to be of much interest to young adults.
"There is no leap from what we do at Remembrance Day and all the rest of it into [volunteering with service clubs]," he noted, saying that there are a lot of families that don't have a personal service connection anymore, which was a big factor for him.
Nevertheless, he encouraged people to try volunteering.
"You have to get your feet in the water. If you have any inkling at all that you want to try something else, step into it and see what it's like. Keep with it. Don't pack it in after a year, two years or three years. Give it some time to grow on you. And it will," Turner said. "If somebody will ask you to come to a Kinsmen meeting or come to a Lions Club meeting, you can say no, but I would say, try it and see if that fits. And if that doesn't fit, try something else."
