City staff recognized with Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medals

​Several City of Lethbridge employees are among those who have been recently awarded with Alberta's Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.

Larry Laverty, Manager of Assessment and Taxation, and City Councillor Belinda Crowson were both recognized for their outstanding service and for dedicating themselves to family, community and country. Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen was also recognized alongside other Alberta Mayors.

This year's Platinum Jubilee Medals, awarded to 7,000 Albertans throughout 2022, were created to mark the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty's accession to the throne as Queen and will be the last time a jubilee medal will be given out to honour her.

Laverty was nominated by Volunteer Lethbridge for creating the HEART program, an early intervention program to help vulnerable ratepayers who may be experiencing health issues, physical disabilities, senior abuse, hoarding, substance abuse, mental health issues like dementia, language barriers or domestic violence. They work closely with Canadian Mental Health, the Lethbridge Elder Abuse Response Network and other community organizations to assist those individuals.

"I was surprised by the nomination," says Laverty. "The creation of this program has definitely been a team and community effort. Our job of collecting taxes isn't always easy but we do our very best to help homeowners. Knowing the lives of our most vulnerable customers have been dramatically changed for the better because of HEART makes it that much more rewarding."

More information about the Queen's Platinum Jubilee medals can be found by heading to the Government of Alberta website.

In addition to her role on Lethbridge City Council, Crowson is president of the Lethbridge Historical Society and secretary of the Historical Society of Alberta, as well as an author, local historian, tour guide and community advocate.

"I was so floored and so honoured to be receiving this medal," Crowson says. "I was telling somebody that I have other awards but this was the one my dad was proudest of me getting because it's from the Queen! It's something that I'm honoured to have and I see it as a call to action, a reminder to keep fighting the good fight and making a better world."