A number of Portage la Prairie and Central Plains residents are being recognized for their efforts in the community, and received Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medals in a special ceremony in Winkler Thursday.

Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Hoeppner announced she was awarding a total of 13 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medals to the recipients.

In Portage la Prairie, Albert Krynski, Joyce Schrader, and Dave Quinn were among those honoured for their achievements in helping others in the community.

Schrader, who is the executive director of Portage Family Abuse Prevention Centre, helped in her role in raising awareness of the issue of domestic abuse and educating the public about the importance of being able to talk openly about this issue. Receiving the award came as a surprise to her.

"I did not see or expect that," she said. "I'm very honoured and feel very humbled. That's all I can really say. I was flabbergasted when I heard about it."

Quinn was recognized for his combined long-term efforts in helping the community.

"I was told the award was given for community service and improving your community," he said. "My understanding is whoever nominated me went back to when I first moved to Portage and identified what I was involved with -- starting off with helping set up a care program."

Quinn and some other community members worked to establish a new nursery school in Portage many years ago when they realized there was a need for a new one to meet the demand. He was also a longtime member of the Kinsmen Club, was involved with the Chamber of Commerce and sat on city council for many years.

"I was very excited," Quinn said on hearing his name was selected for the award. "I thought it was a joke at first . But I was very excited; not knowing I had even been nominated was a very big surprise. I felt very honoured."

Krynski was awarded for his work with special needs students at Portage Collegiate Institute. One of the recent initiatives he has been involved with includes providing students with i-Pads as a fun communication tool, as well as helping create the Sensory Room at PCI, to provide a therapeutic, calming environment for special needs students.

"I was a little bewildered because I didn't know I was getting it," he said.

See more in Portage Daily Graphic.

angela.brown@sunmedia.ca