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Calgary Herald

Spruce Meadows co-founder Margaret Southern awarded King Charles III Coronation Medal

Spruce Meadows co-founder Margaret Southern was honoured Saturday with the King Charles III Coronation Medal, recognizing her decades-long contributions to sport, community and education in Alberta and across Canada. Article content The medal was presented by Alberta Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani during ATCO Military Family Day, an annual event at Spruce Meadows honouring Canadian military heroes and their families. Article content Article content Article content 'Mrs. Southern, you and your family are really that anchor that grounds us, in a world that has lost its mooring,' Lakhani said during the ceremony. 'Thank you so much for everything that you have done, and your family continues to do.' Article content Article content The award recognizes civilians who have made significant contributions to Alberta and Canada. Article content She joined her daughters — Linda Southern-Heathcott, president and CEO of Spruce Meadows, and Nancy Southern, chair and CEO of ATCO — who also received the coronation medal earlier this year. A former teacher, Margaret Southern founded Spruce Meadows in 1975 alongside her husband Ron, and served as its president until 2005. Over nearly five decades, she helped transform the facility into one of the world's premier show jumping venues, attracting hundreds of thousands of international visitors each year. Article content Article content 'Mrs. Southern's decades of passionate leadership, tireless work, and enduring dedication helped make Spruce Meadows one of the most successful show jumping venues on the planet,' Spruce Meadows said in a release. 'That effort has helped draw hundreds of thousands of global tourists to Alberta, bringing in more than $120 million to the broader Alberta economy annually, without the aid of government funding.' Article content