At The Wing Commander's Honour and Awards Ceremony on July 16th 2024, two individuals were awarded the RCAF Centennial Coins.
1. Mr. Pedro Correia
The first Winnipeg recipient of the RCAF 100 Coins to 100 Canadians Initiative is Mr. Pedro Correia, the founder and president of the Portuguese War Veterans of Manitoba Association, a retired member of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve Force, a member of the Portuguese Canadian Walk of Fame, and a truly exceptional Canadian. Mr. Correia has displayed all the elements of the CAF Ethos through his excellent collaboration with the Veteran’s Association of Manitoba and the Joint War Veterans of Manitoba, steadfastly supporting the conduct of Winnipeg Remembrance Day Ceremonies at the RBC Convention Centre.
He has also been a spirited and tireless advocate for veteran and PTSD awareness throughout his life, including a past address to an UNESCO Conference on Global Awareness of Veterans. Mr. Correia’s loyal service to his community has extended well beyond the military to include working as an educational assistant with at risk students and serving in leadership positions in multiple provincial and community advisory boards, volunteer boards, and committees, such as the License Suspension Appeal Board, Provincial Human Rights, Immigration and Culture, and the Manitoba Education Advisory Committee. A courageous Canadian demonstrating exceptional loyalty, integrity and accountability, Mr. Correia is most deserving of a RCAF Centennial Coin.
2. Mr Devin Beaudry (Walking Grey Wolf)
The second Winnipeg recipient of the RCAF 100 Coins to 100 Canadians is Walking Grey Wolf, also known as Mr. Devin Beaudy, the Manitoba Director of the Aboriginal Veterans Autochthones, and is a retired member of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
A prominent figure at Winnipeg Indigenous Veterans Day services, he is also the Lodge Keeper for the Indigenous Sweat Lodge at CFB Winnipeg and was a key figure in bringing it to the base in 2017.
Walking Grey Wolf is a leader in Indigenous - Military reconciliation efforts and is most deserving of a RCAF Centennial Coin.
100 Coins to 100 Canadians is a RCAF Centennial initiative to recognize 100 Canadians with a special edition RCAF Centennial coin for their demonstration of RCAF values. Distribution of the coins is being done with the assistance of Wings across Canada selecting candidates from their immediate and neighboring communities who embody the selection criteria below:
Projected ValuesPersons whose behavior exhibits the spirit of the Royal Canadian Air Force, which is captured within the Canadian Armed Forces Ethos. Specifically, values demonstrated should be in the realms of Loyalty, Integrity, Courage, Excellence, Inclusion or Accountability.
ActionPersons who are worthy of recognition for the positive impact they have generated within their community.
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