Dan Vandermeulen, left, of High Prairie, received a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal at a ceremony in Edmonton Feb. 16. Vandermeulen has committed a lifetime to education and public service. For more than 50 years, he has demonstrated a commitment to public service and community-based learning, both in rural northern Alberta and in Nunavut. After serving the K-12 system as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent of the High Prairie School Division, he was president of Northern Lakes College and then Nunavut Arctic College before becoming board chair of Northern Lakes College. Presenting the award on behalf of the Government of Alberta is Minister of Advanced Education Demetrios Nicolaides. The commemorative medal was created by the Government of Alberta to mark the 70th anniversary of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne as Queen of Canada. The medal is a tangible way to honour her late majesty for her life of service to this province and country. At the same time, it serves to honour significant contributions and achievements by Albertans. During the Platinum Jubilee year (2022), 7,000 deserving Albertans were recognized throughout the province.
These medals were awarded early last year. Getting one now shows Vandermeulen was late to the party, but better late than never.