Andrea Staples receives protective service medal from Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty (submitted photo/Jenna Holt)

By Ben Tompkins

Protective Service Medals

Tisdale victim service volunteer one of several in northeast honoured for 25 years of service

Nov 9, 2023 | 1:20 PM

Protective services personnel from across the province were recently recognized by the Government of Saskatchewan at ceremonies in Regina and Saskatoon.

Those honoured with medals were members with 25 years or more of exemplary service.

A handful of the winners included those working in the northeast such as Andrea Staples who has been a long-time volunteer with Northeast Regional Victim Services (NERVS).

“When I received word that I had been selected to receive a protective services medal for 25 years of service in Saskatchewan, my initial response was disbelief… disbelief that it has already been 25 years,” Staples told northeastNOW. “I still remember the very first person I connected with through Victim Services 25 years ago.”

As a volunteer with NERVS in Tisdale, Staples has mainly been involved with people in the Tisdale area, but at times has covered an area extending from St Brieux to Hudson Bay, and Candle Lake to Kelvington.

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In her 25 years, she has dealt with people who were victims of various crimes and traumatic events including motor vehicle and snowmobile accidents, sudden deaths, murders, suicides, fires, assaults of all types, domestic violence, break and enters, and victims of fraud and scams.

According to Staples, initial contacts have taken place at all hours of the day and night and it is not uncommon for the phone to ring at 3:00 am with a request from the police or hospital to provide support for a family or individual.

Sometimes that support was provided for only one occasion, but other times the contact has spanned several years.

“I have provided support, encouragement, reassurance, information, referrals, safety (physical and emotional), a shoulder to cry on, and a listening ear, or I have been there just to sit in silence, to assist with phone calls, and to provide information on what do we do next,” Staples added.

“I have been there when an individual or family who were experiencing the worst day of their life, and I have had the honour of being that supportive person, both to people who I knew as well as complete strangers, but who did not remain strangers for long.”

Medal recipients include police, fire, federal and provincial corrections, border services, the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as mobile crisis and family violence outreach services.

This year, the medal was presented to 178 individuals from rural and urban communities across the province.

Recipients received a circular medal surmounted by St. Edward’s Crown and a certificate signed by the Lieutenant Governor, Premier, and Provincial Secretary. The medal bears the motto Qui civitatem tuentur (who guard the citizenry).

“When I attended the ceremony for the Protective Services Medals in Saskatoon, there were many recipients from the police services, EMS, Corrections, and Border Patrol. I was the only recipient from Victim Services and it was evident to me that everyone else was a paid worker during their 25 years of service to the province,” Staples explained.

“I was the only volunteer… I am proud to be a volunteer member of North East Victim Services and I do this because I feel I can and do make a difference.”

Other known winners from the northeast were Leann Bisschop and Janice Housden, who are both members of Kelvington Mobile Health Services.

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