Pankratz Lake near the Saskatchewan and North west territory border September 6, 2021. (Submitted photo/Doug Chisholm)

By Rachel May

Pilot Award

Local pilot given Canadian Owners and Pilots Association award

Sep 22, 2021 | 2:00 PM

Local pilot, Doug Chisholm, was given the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) directors award.

Chisholm received recognition of his personal efforts to advance, promote and preserve Canadian’s freedom to fly.

His passion for the north and exploring has directed him on his many adventures.

“I’m into archeology and so I like to go to fur trading posts and I like to explore the aboriginal rock art sites and the old fur trade routes and the history of Northern Saskatchewan,” Chisholm said.

In addition to being an active member of COPA for 47 years, Chisholm is an author of a book Their Names Live On – Remembering Saskatchewan’s Fallen In World War II by the Canadian Plains Research Center at the University of Regina.

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“Families told me stories, they gave me pictures and I had pictures of the lakes and we would put them together. And in some cases families would ask me to go out to the sites and put a plaque on the shoreline,” Chisholm told northeastNOW.

At last night’s presentation, Chisholm was surrounded by family and friends, as well as Saskatchewan’s National COPA director, Candace Pardo.

Pardo said after a lifetime of passion for aviation, as well as the help Chisholm has given to various organizations both inside and outside of the aviation community, it was easy to see who deserved this award.

“It escalated from a simple appreciation award and when we saw the magnitude of how much Doug has impacted so many people, especially in the northern communities. I felt this would be the right thing to do,” Pardo said.

Both Chisholm and Pardo encourage anyone who is passionate about aviation to visit the COPA website to find out more about aviation in local areas.

“Go for it. Get involved, roll up your sleeves and wash the underbelly on the airplane for your uncle or grandpa and go flying. Get involved,” Chisholm said.

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Rachel.May@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @northeastNOW_SK