Former Pineland Co-op vice-president Ron Breadner (centre) receives his 35 Years of Service award from president Morley Doerksen (left) during the annual members' information meeting (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff).

By Aaron Schulze

Pineland Co-op Honours VP

Former Pineland Co-op VP honoured at annual members’ meeting

Mar 15, 2019 | 2:53 PM

Pineland Co-op’s ninetieth annual members’ information involved a Ukrainian supper and discussions on financial standing, but a few moments were dedicated to one man’s service.

Ron Breadner, who was the Saskatchewan Co-operative Merit Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in 2014, officially stepped down as vice-president of Pineland Co-op after 19 years of service as a board of director’s member and 35 years as a delegate.

Breadner told northeastNOW he never imagined he would be a life-long Co-op member.

“I never, ever thought of it. Years just went by,” Breadner said.

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Morley Doerksen, president of Pineland Co-op, said handing Breadner his 35 years of service award brought back numerous memories.

“Ron was on the board when I first got on the board myself,” Doerksen said. “We’ve made a lot of decisions together over the years and did a lot of volunteer hours together. He volunteered more than any board member we had — him and his wife Theresa — so they’ve done a lot of work for Co-op.”

Doerksen said fellow members of the board will miss Breadner and his 35 years of experience going forward.

“He knows what the history of the Co-op was like and the struggles they had,” he said. “We kind of went through the 80s ourselves so it’s important to have those thoughts in the back of your mind, because it can slip away quickly. Any business can.”

One of Breadner’s favourite moments with Pineland Co-op was volunteering in the Wounded Warrior Project, which he said was a chance to give back to the men and women who went to war in order to protect Canada.

When asked if he had any final thoughts, Breadner had one piece of advice for current and future Co-op delegates and directors.

“Do your best and look after the Co-op,” he said. “Remember that you’re working for the members. The members are the ones that own the Co-op.”

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow