Abbotsford – She may be 80 but she is a force to be reckoned with.
Abbotsford Veteran Gwen Settle has been awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Settle is a familiar face and fixture when it comes to the Legion in the Fraser Valley. She is a spark plug for the annual Walk for Veterans (which raises funds and awareness for services that vets need. everything from medial and emotional support to basic living resources).
Gwen joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1962,serving as a Naval Operations WREN on the east coast of Canada during the Cold War in a trade classified as Top Secret. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that she was able to talk about her work.
Since then Gwen has spoken to many schools, groups and organizations throughout Canada both in-person and via Zoom about her experiences.
She was recently involved with the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver as a volunteer and again championing vets rights.
So it was no surprise when FVN learned that Ms Settle was given such a high honour.
UPDATE – Christian Lane and Gwen Settle, awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
In a February 22nd ceremony hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion in Cloverdale, Gwen Settle was recognized for her military service as a member of the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNS) conducting Top Secret search efforts for Russian submarines from a land base during the Cold War, for her veteran advocacy efforts through The Memory Project (a speakers bureau for veterans), and her 23 years of commitment to her community including as a longtime member of the board of directors for the Abbotsford Agrifair, director and treasurer for the Matsqui Community Hall and treasurer and past-president with Friends of the Abbotsford Libraries.
In a February 27th ceremony hosted by the Hon. Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Member of Parliament for South Surrey – White Rock, Christian Lane was recognized for his advocacy efforts for first responders, frontline healthcare workers and law enforcement through his podcast, Team Ten Eight, founded during the Covid-19 pandemic, and for his volunteerism, including as a former mentor with Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver, as a member of the board of directors for the Canadian Peace Officer Memorial Association, as a member of the advisory board of the True Patriot Love Foundation and for his successful leadership of the annual Fraser Valley Canadian Walk for Veterans.
The Fraser Valley Canadian Walk for Veterans will take place at Mill Lake Park – Bevan Avenue Entrance between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM, Saturday September 20, 2025.
For more information about the Fraser Valley Canadian Walk for Veterans, please visit: www.CanadianWalkForVeterans.com.
