The Order of Thompson, a new award promoted by the Thompson Community Foundation (TCF), announced its first recipient at an Oct. 2 gala - Volker Beckmann was the inaugural inductee into an honour designed to celebrate Thompson's leaders in community spirit.
"It's certainly a humbling experience," said Beckmann of the honour. "When you work for yourself, you're not worried about promotions or running for elections."
The Order of Thompson selection process was outlined to city council Sept. 27, with TCF president Brad Ritchie explaining that a five-person selection committee was charged with coming up with one name who exemplified the criteria of building Thompson through philanthropy, business, recreation, volunteerism, community spirit, and ambassadorship.
The selection committee consists of a past president of the TCF - this year Judge Murray Thompson, associate chief judge of the provincial court for Manitoba filled that role - Tim Johnston, in his role as the mayor of Thompson, Steve Ashton, as Thompson's MLA, Murray Nychyporuk, as president of USW Local 6166, and Lovro Paulic, as Vale's general manager of Manitoba Operations. "Those individuals were charged with bringing forward names whom they thought deserved recognition, and coming to consensus on a recipient," explained Ritchie. He refused to reveal the name of the winner to council, but did refer to him as "a tremendous individual," and "very worthy of this recognition."
"We felt that after 50-plus years as a city, it was time that we recognized people who have created a legacy in the city of Thompson," said Ritchie. "We think we are the right organization to do this, because we're going to be here forever as well. With that endowment in our charter, we can never disband. We'll be here, and we'll be able to give out this award on an annual basis."
The TCF is Thompson's largest local charity. "We are responsible for a pot of money which we are, by our charter, never allowed to spend, only grant out to growth, to projects within the city of Thompson," explained Ritchie. The foundation has a $1.1-million endowment, and Ritchie says they will be approaching $80,000 in 2011. "In 2010, we granted out $70,000," he said, with recipients including the ski club, the Rotary Park playground, R.D. Parker Collegiate, and the YWCA. The TCF board of directors consists of Ritchie, Lyle Miller, Susan Buckle, Murray Thompson, Blake Ellis, Richard Smith, and Colin Bonnycastle.
"There's probably no citizen in Thompson who has not been touched by grants that the Thompson Community Foundation has given out in the past 15 years," Ritchie said. This was the third year for the gala, held at St. Joseph's Ukrainian Hall, but the first in which the Order of Thompson was presented - a tradition the TCF plans to continue in subsequent years as the feature attraction of their fall gala. "We wanted to make it a reason for the people of Thompson to come - beyond the entertainment, beyond the camaraderie, beyond the great meal," said Ritchie.
Beckmann is the owner of Design North, but is also well known for his involvement throughout the community, including acting as project co-ordinator and staunch advocate for the Spirit Way, and attempts to bring an aboriginal art centre to Thompson.
In accepting the award, Beckmann thanked the audience as representatives of Thompson's great community spirit, noting that many of Thompson's biggest projects had been developed by volunteers. He was also quick to praise the TCF for their work in the community, noting that "they're doing all this good work by helping out volunteer groups."
Beckmann initially declined the award, but ultimately others were able to get him to change his mind. "I was politely convinced by the person who called me, Murray Thompson," he said. "He asked me to at least talk it over with my wife."
