Two Central Albertans have received outstanding achievement awards for their work in preserving Alberta’s history.
Don Hepburn of Red Deer and Howard Fredeen of Lacombe were honoured on Friday with Alberta Historical Resources Foundation Heritage Awards.
The biennial awards honour the contributions of individuals, organizations, businesses and municipalities actively engaged in heritage preservation and conservation in the categories of Outstanding Achievement, Heritage Conservation, Heritage Awareness, and Municipal Heritage Preservation.
Among Hepburn’s many achievements, he is one of the founding members of the Central Alberta Historical Society. “His knowledge and passion have helped to sustain the organization as one of the most active in the province. … His dedication is seen in numerous heritage-related efforts volunteering his time freely for projects including the Central Alberta Heritage School Fairs, Red Deer Centennial Committee and Remembering the Children, an Alberta Culture and Tourism release said.
Fredeen has been involved as writer and editor in the six volumes of local history. He is both a founder and committed member of the Lacombe and District Historical Society. Dr. Fredeen has not only worked to preserve history, but has made some of his own, recognized with both the Genetics Society of Canada Award for Excellence and the American Board of Human Development’s National Health Development Award for his work in the human genetic fields.
“The biennial awards honour the contributions of individuals, organizations, businesses and municipalities actively engaged in heritage preservation and conservation in the categories of Outstanding Achievement, Heritage Conservation, Heritage Awareness, and Municipal Heritage Preservation.”
A total of 58 awards have been presented since the program was reintroduced in 2005.