By Matt Kelly

Dekker family honoured to receive Heritage Award

Aug 31, 2016 | 12:00 PM

A family of business and community leaders is being honoured for their contributions to the Battlefords over the course of many decades.

The Dekker family will receive the Heritage Award at the 2016 Battlefords Business Excellence (BBEX) Awards. David Dekker said the family is grateful to receive the award and be recognized.

“Well it’s a great honour. We’re very humble about this whole process, but very honoured,” David said.

David’s father, Harry G., was born in North Battleford on June 2, 1922. His first radio job was in 1940 at CFQC in Saskatoon. It was there he met and married a fellow broadcaster, Christine Wiebe, in 1951 and the two became radio pioneers in the province.

In 1954, the pair moved their radio show to CJNB in North Battleford after Harry accepted an offer to become station manager. The Dekkers became friends and partners with another broadcasting family, the Rawlinsons after the purchase of the station in 1963.

2023-24 Hardware

AAA Stars celebrate best of season with year-end awards

14h ago

Real Estate

Buying or selling a house? Do your homework first

18h ago

NB council

City approves new land sale on Buhler Bay

19h ago

Harry and Christine had four sons, David, Dana, Harry Michael and Christopher. The family became entrenched in the Battlefords through the radio station and various community organizations, service clubs and activities.

“I would think that my parents set the groundwork and did a lot of work in the community and really, the rest of us in the family tried to follow in their footsteps,” David said.

David and his three brothers are also involved in numerous community programs and leadership positions in the Battlefords and in Saskatchewan.

Harry G. died in 2004, and after Christine’s death in 2011, the Rawlinson and Dekker families provided funding to the building which now bears the family name; The Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts.

Battlefords Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Linda Machniak called the BBEX Heritage Award one of the most prestigious awards handed out during the gala.

The award will be handed out at the BBEX Awards gala on Oct. 4.

–With files from a Dekker family biography submitted by David Dekker.

Matt Kelly is battlefordsNOW’s town municipal affairs and community reporter. He can be reached at mkelly@jpbg.ca or tweet him @mattjkelly2.