Two residents of the Cowichan Valley are the latest recipients of the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Betty James and Madeline Swain recently received their medals. The medals celebrate 30,000 Canadians from all walks of life who have made significant contributions across diverse fields, from the local community to the global stage.
James is an active volunteer in the Duncan area who has a long track record of making a significant impact in the community since the 1950s.
She was a founding member of the Cowichan Lawn Bowling Club and, as an active curler, she championed the local Royal Canadian Legion’s curing club and assumed responsibility for bonspiels for more than 20 years.
James volunteered with Special Olympics, Operation Track Shoes and both the Commonwealth and North American Indigenous Games.
Her philanthropy extends to the MS Society, Cowichan Therapeutic Riding, Cowichan Exhibition, Providence Farm and Friends of the Kinsol Trestle.
A member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 53, for more than 27 years, James has held executive positions and held the branch together through tough financial times and the pandemic.
In 1987, she was the first woman to receive the Realtor of the Year Award, and in 2007, she received the City of Duncan’s Scroll of Honour for all her many hours of volunteering.
James said receiving the King Charles III Coronation Medal was the fifth proudest moment of her life, after giving birth to her two children, and receiving the Realtor of the Year Award and the Scroll of Honour.
Swain, who works at the Cowichan branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library, was awarded her medal for co-founding The Roots Library in Mathare, Kenya.
She was in Kenya for three months during the summer of 2023 as a Queen Elizabeth Scholar from the University of the Fraser Valley to help set up the library, which provides a safe and inclusive space for out-of-school youth to find a pathway to education, skill development, and personal growth in a very poor area of the African country.
While Swain works at the Cowichan library, she is also a university student studying for a Bachelor of Integrated Studies in libraries and global development, and is still very connected with The Roots Library.
She said she is excited to receive the medal as it recognizes and brings attention to the incredible work that the Mathare community is doing to foster healthier, safer, and more sustainable futures for youth.
"The Roots Library started as a small room with books during my internship in 2023, but it has since expanded to fit the needs of the community and hosts programs such as menstrual hygiene workshops, environmental storytimes, computer tutoring, and disaster response planning sessions," Swain said.
"The newest features are an eLibrary and Data Hub to conduct local research and archive local histories. With this technology and access to information, The Roots Library provides youth with barrier-free educational opportunities and empowers them to be the next generations of leaders in sustainable development and community resilience. What started as a small, community project is now gaining international recognition and we are excited to see where this will take The Roots Library next."
