Historian Ken McGoogan and painter Sheena Fraser McGoogan, who sail regularly with Adventure Canada, have just been awarded S.S. Beaver medals for community service through writing and painting.
In the accompanying photo, with some of Sheena's
Greenland paintings behind them, they receive the awards from Toronto lawyer Robert A. Maxwell. The medals were struck from the copper fittings of the first steamship to ply the west coast of North America. The first Beaver medal was awarded in 1963 to the father of Maxwell, who created a replica of the original paddlewheeler built in 1836 for Sir George Simpson, governor of the Hudson's Bay Company. Previous recipients of the honour include Winnipeg publisher Barbara Huck, Peter St. John (the Earl of Orkney), and politician Stockwell Day. Sheena has been painting scenes from sketches she did while sailing in the Northwest Passage, including these views of Greenland. Her next one-person show will be at Arts on Queen in March - stay tuned for details!
Both McGoogans will sail Into the Northwest Passage with Adventure Canada in August. For more information, please click here.