This is your business or school’s opportunity to celebrate Vernon Winter Carnival! Start planning now. Transform your work place, school or organization to showcase your Carnival spirit with the Best Decorated Contest presented by Nixon Wenger LLP!
All the area’s businesses, schools and organizations are invited to participate, so encourage your colleagues or employees to get involved in the Carnival’s Best Decorated Contest.
The Order of Jopo is the highest honour that the Vernon Winter Carnival can bestow. Through the City of Vernon, it has been presented to visiting dignitaries, long time Carnival supporters, past Chairmen and honoured cities around the world. All recipients have shown tremendous Community Spirit and Commitment to Carnival and the community.
This year we have the privilege recognizing not just one individual, but a true team—partners in life, partners in service, and partners in community spirit.
One of our recipients grew up in this community, with the Carnival woven into their life from the very beginning. Over a lifetime of involvement, she gave her time, her leadership, and her heart—serving on the Board and later as Chairperson, always guided by a genuine love for community and tradition.
That love naturally became shared. She brought her husband into the Carnival family as a Carnival Cop, and he quickly embraced the spirit of service, later serving on the Board himself. Together, they have shown us what it truly means to give back—quietly, consistently, and with joy.
Their dedication, leadership, and unwavering Carnival spirit have strengthened the Vernon Winter Carnival and inspired those around them.
It is with deep gratitude and appreciation that we present the 2026 Order of JOPO Award to this extraordinary team.
1974 George Melvin (Past Chair)
1974 Frank Oliver (Past Chair)
1974 Bill Malcom (Past Chair)
1974 Bill Oxley (Past Chair)
1974 Vince Lilley (Past Chair)
1974 Mike Kowaluk (Past Chair)
1975 John Ladyman (jointly)
1975 Evelyn Tebo (jointly)
1976 Dorothy Sawicki
1977 Harold McDonald (Past Chair)
1978 Bob Adsched (Past Chair)
1980 Stuart Fleming (jointly)
1980 Petie Kaulback (jointly)
1980 Sharon Shaw (Past Chair)
1981 Norm Stevenson (Past Chair)
1982 Stella Andrews
1982 Fernand Desroches (Past Chair)
1983 George Zimmerman
1984 Patrick Nicol (Past Chair)
1985 Fern Makarenko
1986 Marie Morris (Past Chair)
1987 Tom Fletcher (Past Chair)
1988 Ken Little
1989 Evelyn Lerose (Past Chair)
1990 June Rigby
1991 Bill Martin (Past Chair)
1992 Lil and Ken Nistor
1993 Carol Williams (Past Chairman)
1993 Bob Williamson (Past Chair)
1994 Don Weglo
1995 Ross Simpson
1995 Derek Hall (Past Chair)
1999 N. Ok.Amtr Radio Club
2000 Phyllis DeBoice
2000 Donna Mihalcheon (Past Chair)
2002 Ursula Gohmann
2003 Glen Taylor (Past Chair)
2003 Lettie Maloney
2004 Christel Cam
2005 Claudia Brown
2006 Carl Rigby
2006 LeRoy Peterson
2006 Duaine Brown
2007 Donna Hall (Past Chair)
2008 Brenda Fletcher
2009 Ingrid Baron
2009 Dorothy Lindley
2010 Sandi LaFleche
2012 Wayne Emde
2013 Mary Andersen
2014 Dave Fletcher (Past Chair)
2015 Calvin Hoy (Past Chair)
2016 Jack Gareb
2017 Feather Fanciers
2018 Margaret Hogan (In Memorial)
2020 Teresa Durning Harker
2021 Deb White (Past Chair)
2022 Ruth Hoyte
2023 Marti Giroux
2024 Doug Edgar (Past Chair)
2025 Lynella Henke (In Memorial)
2026 Laurell Cornell & Rod Koenig
1974 The Hon. George R. Pearkes, VC Lieutenant-Governor of BC, The Hon. David Barrett, Premier of BC, Muni Evers, Mayor. New Westminster. Ron J. Monier, CBC-TV Vancouver
1976 Walter Owen, Lieutenant-Governor of BC. Tom Constable, Mayor, Burnaby 1977 Michael Young, Mayor, Victoria 1978 Pierre E. Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada and Ken Curle, Mayor, Red Deer, Alberta
1979 The Hon. Henry Bell-Irving, Lieutenant-Governor of BC, George Furguson, Mayor, Abbotsford and Bob Neil, Mayor. Vernon
1980 Donald A. Ross. Mayor. Surrey
1981 Andy Anderson, Mayor. Lethbridge, Alberta and Neil Davidson, Mayor, Vernon 1982 Ed Schreyer. Governor General of Canada and Derrick Humphreys, Mayor, West Vancouver
1983 Charles Lakes, Mayor, Trail
1984 Ethel Winger, Mayor, Williams Lake and The Hon. Robert G. Rogers. Lieutenant-Governor of BC
1985 The Hon. Claude Richmond. Provincial Minister of Tourism
1986 Michael Harcourt, Mayor, Vancouver 1987 Lyall Hanson, MLA & Past Mayor, Vernon and Ralph Klein. Alderman, Calgary, Alberta
1988 Jack Hebner, Councillor. Spokane. Washington
1989 Cliff Branchflower. Alderman. Kamloops
1990 James H. Stuart, Mayor, Kelowna 1991 Anne Clarke, Past Mayor, Vernon, Pat Jordan, Past MLA and Geoff Battersby, Mayor, Revelstoke
1992 Wayne McGrath, Past Mayor. Vernon 1993 Rollie Rose, Mayor. Ladysmith
1994 Stephen D. Wallace, Mayor, Quesnel 1995 Richard A. Lang, Mayor, Modesto, California
1996 Kathy Watson, Mayor, Whitehorse, Yukon and Garde Gardom. Lieutenant-Governor of BC
1997 Jeff Griffen, Mayor, Reno, Nevada 1998 Larry McNabb, Alderman, Nanaimo and Vancouver Firefighters Band
2000 Guy Boissy, Mayor, Saint-Lambert, Quebec 2001 Brian Postill, Mayor, Coldstream 2002 Glen Everitt, Mayor, Dawson City, Yukon 2003 David Laird, Mayor. City of Merrit 2004 Ron McCrae, Mayor. Kimberely 2005 Ellen Woodsworth, Councillor, Vancouver 2006 David Perry, Mayor, Penticton 2007 City of New York 2008 George F. Ferguson, Mayor, Abbotsford 2009 Mayor Melamed, Whistler 2010 Wayne Lippert. Mayor, Vernon 2011 Paul Kuehn, President of Modesto, California Sister City Committee 2013 Sharel Shoff, Deputy Mayor of Drumheller. Alberta 2019 The City of Vernon 2024 Premier David Eby |
We are honored this year to recognize a group of individuals who give their time freely, serve without expectation, and make our community stronger through quiet, consistent dedication.
The Jesse Ferguson Award celebrates service, integrity, and a deep commitment to community. This year’s recipients embody those values through countless volunteer hours and an unwavering willingness to step in wherever help is needed.
Their support extends well beyond one role or one organization. Time and time again, they have shown up for the Vernon Winter Carnival, helping ensure the success of events that bring our community together—supporting the Parade, the Balloon Glow, the Family Fun Park, and so many other moments that create lasting memories for families and visitors alike.
Whether managing crowds, offering assistance, or simply being a calm and reliable presence, their impact is felt at every event they support. They lead by example, reminding us that volunteerism is about service, teamwork, and showing up with care and professionalism.
These individuals ask for little recognition, yet they give so much of themselves. Their commitment reflects the spirit of Jesse Ferguson and the very best of volunteerism.
It is with sincere gratitude and appreciation that we present the Jesse Ferguson Award to the RCMP Volunteers.
1967 Snowflake Presentation
1968 Terry Gower*
1969 G. Preston
1970 J. Hutchinson
1971 Jock Henniker
1972 Wayne Hickson
1973 Sis Arthur
1974 Doreen Brown
1975 Sue Nolan
1976 Isabel Medynski
1977
1978 Dick File
1979 Ed Flegel *
1980 Bob Ingersol
1981 Stella Andrew*
1982 Ken Little’
1983 Lil-Ken Nistor *
1984 Colleen Vollan
1985 Audrey King
1986 Patrick Nicol’
1987 Jack Koch
1988 Al Skaley *
1989 Jim Alverberg
1990 Ken Nistor
1991 George Zimmerman
1992 Claire Hart
1993 Carnival Cops
1994 Bert Niehaus
1995 Jim Bailey
1996 Ed Forslund
1997 Carl Rigby
1998 Sid Baker
1999 VJH Hospital Auxiliary
2000 Wayne McGrath
2001 Heather Rawsthorne
2002
2003 Christel Cam’
2004 Brenda Fletcher
2005 Sharon MacKenzie
2006 Coldstream Women’s Institute
2007 Brad Albrecht
2008 Herb Lee
2009 Mary Anderson
2010 Debbie Antony
2011 Calvin Hoy
2012 Bob Lindley
2013 Margaret Hogan
2014 June Rigby
2015 Coleen Noel
2016 Joy Stafford
2017 Ron Morgan
2018 Alvin Timm
2019 Cathy Sim Rigby
2020 Gerry Manley
2021 Cors & Pat Verhage
2022 Okanagan Restoration Services – Moorhouse Family
2023 Okanagan Springs Brewery
2024 Jim Clipperton
2025 Vernon Elks Lodge #45
2026 RCMP Volunteers
This trophy is for Best Parade Spirit and is awarded to the entry contributing the most fun, enthusiasm, zeal and passion to the parade. This trophy is dedicated to the memory of Christel Cam for her many years of overseeing the parade, bandarama and trophy portfolios.
Poutine Awards
Judges’ Choice – The Hogfather Poutine BNA Vernon
People’s Choice – Birria Poutine The Clove 
Caesar Awards Judges’ Choice – The Clove Overboard Caesar People’s Choice – The Clove Overboard Caesar
