Alex Garchinski, of Martensville, left, and his grandfather Doug Dunlop, of North Battleford, are both recipients of Queen's Jubilee Medals. (submitted photos/Linda Dunlop)

By Angela Brown

Giving back

One family recognized with two Jubilee medals

Jan 18, 2023 | 5:26 PM

One area family has been recognized with two Jubilee medals over the years for their community contributions.

Alex Garchinski, of Martensville, and his grandfather Doug Dunlop, of North Battleford, are both recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee awards. Garchinski was bestowed his Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022, while Dunlop was garnered his Golden Jubilee Medal back in 2002.

Garchinski, 18, believes he was recognized for a number of initiatives he was involved with over the years. He volunteers a lot with sports in the community and is currently an assistant coach on the peewee AA hockey team in Martensville. He also recently helped coach the soccer team at his former high school. As well he, along with his two friends, Carson Heuchert and Wyatt Strueby, started their own ice cream shop business, called Cones Ice Cream, in Martensville that runs from May to September each year.

“Our goal is to kind of bring the community together, in that sense, and have a local place where people could come and hang out,” Garchinski said. “I believe Cones Ice Cream is one of the main reasons why I was nominated [for the Jubilee Medal] for making the community a better place, but also for coaching and volunteering.”

The University of Saskatchewan business student also helps with the Martensville Community Recreation Project (MCRP) group when he has time.

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Garchinski said his whole family embraces the same ethos, that helping the community helps everyone.

“I think it is just something that my parents demonstrated for me,” he said. “My mum would have learned it from my Papa [grandfather] Doug. So, I think it has just always been something that they have demonstrated — to do good to make the community around us better.”

He said the family gets involved in initiatives personally, along with others in the community, to help and make the community better.

“As long as there are people willing to get out there and try and do volunteer work, it benefits the community in so many ways, and it really makes it function,” Garchinski said.

Dunlop has been involved with the Battlefords Agricultural Society, the North Battleford Kinsmen Club, and the local wheat pool committee for many years. He was also involved in activities in the local farming community where he lived. Dunlop also used to coach hockey at one time for youth.

He has also been on the Battlefords Agricultural Society board of directors in the past for over 40 years and continues to be a member of the group today.

“You work towards the betterment of your community is one they stressed with us [to be considered for a Jubilee award],” Dunlop said. “It’s doing something that hopefully makes the community better.”

Dunlop, who is married with three daughters, said it’s always been important to him to be involved in the community.

“I just wish that people would get more involved,” he said. “Some people are really good, and some don’t do anything. It would be nice to see more people belong [to the clubs].”

Dunlop said many of the various local service clubs are at risk of closing these days because they don’t have enough new members to keep them going.

“I would like to see that change,” he said. “I would like to see people get more involved in some things. There is a lot of stuff to do in North Battleford if you really want to go out and do it. So often I hear [people say]: ‘There is nothing to do here.’ Well, there is lots to do here.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow