NEWS: Ms. Tina receives GG’s Meritorious Service Medal
OrKidstra’s Tina Fedeski receives the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal for creating the program
OrKidstra enters its 10th Anniversary year in 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OTTAWA, Ont. – January 10, 2017 – The Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, has awarded the Meritorious Service Medal to Tina Fedeski, Executive & Artistic Director of OrKidstra, for creating the program. This exciting news comes as OrKidstra enters its 10th Anniversary year.
Ms. Fedeski, who founded the program with Margaret Tobolowska and Gary McMillen, has shaped and nurtured OrKidstra from its small beginnings—27 children in 2007—to its current 525 children in 2017.
OrKidstra is a charitable, social development program which teaches life skills, such as teamwork, respect, commitment and pride in achievement, to children, aged 5 to 18, from under-served areas of Ottawa through learning and making music together. An inclusive program, OrKidstra counts some 42 different cultural backgrounds amongst its students, overlaid by the universal language of music.
When the award was made public over the weekend, Ms. Fedeski commented, “It is extraordinary to receive such an honour for doing something I feel I was born to do and have had the privilege and support to be able to create. None of this could have happened without my co-founders, staff, the Board and volunteers – and of course the joy and dedication of our remarkable students. This award really is for us all and I will proudly receive it for our entire OrKidstra family.”
Created by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Meritorious Service Medal recognizes Canadians for exceptional deeds that bring honour to our country and which highlight remarkable achievements in many different fields of endeavour, from advocacy initiatives and health care services, to research and humanitarian efforts.
A formal presentation of the Award will be made in Ottawa at a date to be announced.
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Contact:
Rebecca Russell
Development & Communications Officer – OrKidstra
613.859.3559
[email protected]
OrKidstra.ca
View additional photos of OrKidstra here
View a PDF of the release here
