by Friends of the Forces
Photo left: Col. Jonathon Bouchard, 15 Wing Commander, left, and Roy LaBuick, Fellowship president, present the Lois Boyle award to Starla Klinger.
A volunteer from the 15 Wing military community was awarded the Lois Boyle Award by the Friends of the Forces Fellowship at the volunteer and sponsor appreciation night held Oct. 12, 2022.
Starla Klinger was taken aback when the surprise announcement was made.
“You don't realize how many things you are involved in until, someone reads them out,’’ she said.
She said she volunteers as part of the community and urges military serving at the base to get involved as soon as they arrive, as they don’t usually have that much time before they are transferred out.
Her list of volunteer activities is extensive, engaging the community at Bushell Park with the Moose Jaw community.
She engages with local businesses in Moose Jaw, the Legion, the local Indigenous personnel and CAF members of 15 Wing to promote and participate in community events.
She encouraged community literacy by curating the “Charming Dandelion”, a library that runs at no cost to the community and ensures accessibility to resources where none existed before.
The grand opening of the library on August 14, 2021, which included an activity where military families participated in a “bear hunt”, became a large community function in partnership with the local resource centre and the Wing.
Klinger often responds to the needs of veterans, connecting holiday initiatives to serving members and their families. She works to strengthen family ties by providing approachable, no-cost outings for family activities.
In connection with the Legion Branch 59, she celebrated Veterans’ week by providing the local community with activity bags with materials that introduced “Animals of War”, stickers, poppies and more. At Christmas, she ran a campaign called “Christmas Cards for Veterans” where she called out to the local community to make and collect handmade cards that were delivered to veterans in the City of Moose Jaw.
She secured funding through the Moose Jaw South West District for Culture, Recreation and Sport Inc., using the grant to purchase Indigenous themed books by Indigenous authors in an effort to break down cultural divide by fostering healthy relationships with the local Indigenous population.
She and her husband Padre Andrew Klinger live in base housing at Bushell Park.
Awarded annually, the Lois Boyle Award recognizes long-time base commander’s administrative assistant Lois Boyle, who worked with the CO on developing the original Snowbird aerial demonstration team and was known as “the mother of the Snowbirds.”
The award was presented by Wing Commanding Officer Col. Jonathon Bouchard and Roy LaBuick, president of the Fellowship.
Car show judges honoured
Two of the three judges of entries at the Sixth Highway to Heroes Car show received certificates of appreciation at a recent dinner held by Friends of the Forces Fellowship.
Certificates were presented to Warrrant Officer Wolfgang Brecheisen (left) of 15 Wing, and Mayor Clive Tolley.
Presentations were made by Lyle Johnson, a Fellowship member.
Capt. John Vincent was unable to attend and will receive his certificate at a later date.
Carrie Froehlich photos
Travel club recognized
The Moose Jaw Travel Club 2022 was presented with $1,000 by the Friends of the Forces Fellowship. The 54 students in the club and their parents are raising $5,500 per member for a trip to London, Paris, Venice and Rome next year, About 20 club members assisted the Fellowship at the Highways to Heroes car show in July 2022, working at the gates and as traffic directors.
Roy LaBuick, Fellowship president, presented the cheque to two student representatives of the club.
$1,000.00 presented
The Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre was presented with $1,000 by the Friends of the Forces Fellowship as part of the Fellowship’s appreciation for use of the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds for the Highways to Heroes car show in July/22.
George Fowler, left, accepts from Roy LaBuick.
The next car show is July 22, 2023 at the Exhibition Grounds.
Allan Pitts of Edmonton was the lucky winner of the 2019
Airshow quilt raffle conducted by the Friends of the Forces Fellowship.
The quilt was designed and sewn by Cheryl Dvernichuk
of Regina and then donated to the Fellowship.
Proceeds from raffle will be used to assist military families.
When Pitts heard he had won, he generously gave the quilt to
his mother, Olive Huvenaars of Moose Jaw, shown here with the quilt.
The draw was made Oct. 25 by Fellowship members and staff and volunteers
of the Military Family Resource Centre at 15 Wing as shown in the photo above.
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