Gerry Peppler was inducted Thursday as the latest life member of the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce.
“Every week day morning for 27 years, Gerry Peppler was in the homes of residents in the Shamrock TV station viewing area as hostess of the Morning Show. She has been described as the ‘face of the Yorkton TV station’ for the 32 years in which she was employed there,” said Mayor Bob Maloney in reading the citation at an induction luncheon at St. Girard’s Parish Hall.
Maloney noted that through her lifetime Peppler has been a tireless volunteer devoting countless hours to organizations and causes which seek to enhance the community.
“When the decision was made to develop a crisis intervention program to work with the Yorkton City and Yorkton Rural RCMP in assisting victims of crime and trauma, Gerry was selected to sit on the inaugural board of Parkland Victim Services. For 25-years she has served on the Board and is the Secretary Treasurer,” detailed the citation.
“Gerry has been greeting people as they arrive in the Admitting Department of the Yorkton Regional Health Centre for the past 23 years. She has also worked as a volunteer in the Gift Shoppe for 25 years and served on the Board of The Health Foundation,” read Maloney.
Peppler has also been sitting on the Yorkton Housing Authority Board for 25 years, serving as the Chair for 20. She is also a member of the City’s Protective Services Committee.
Peppler was also the President of the Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers Association and served on the Board for 15 years. She also served 15 years on the Board of the Credit Union.
And, when the Summer Games 2000 were held in Yorkton, Gerry was named the Protocol Officer. She was the Co-Chair of the 2004 Special Olympics Summer Games when they were in Yorkton.
“Other organizations for which Gerry has volunteered include Coats for Kids; Shelwin House; Citizens on Patrol; the Yorkton Exhibition Association; the Community Health Advisory Committee; and she was co-organizer of the Miss Teen Yorkton Pageant. She has been an active member of Beta Sigma Phi for 58 years,” detailed the citation.
In the past Peppler was the first Yorkton recipient of the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal. She has also been presented with the YWCA’s Woman of Distinction Award for her Contribution to a Rural Community; the Leadership Award from Toastmasters International; and as an outstanding citizen, she was presented the Saskatchewan Centennial Commemorative Medal in 2005.
“What an honour to receive this prestigious award,” said Peppler after the presentation. “… Thank you very much Yorkton Chamber of Commerce.”
Peppler said she recently noted the plaque at the Chamber office with the list of life members.
“What an honour for your name to be on that plaque, to be recognized for what you’ve done in your life,” she said.
Previous life members are; Brigadier General Alexander Ross and Howard Jackson, the first so-honoured in 1969, and since that time George Morris, G.H. Howie Alberts, Stan Stephenson, Norman Roebuck, Keith Harper, Winnie Spence and John Miller, Ruth Shaw, Allan Bailey, Ray Malinowski, Kathy Connors, Dr. Fay Myers, Tom Seeley; Dave Farrell; Dick DeRyk; and George Gallagher.
