The Order of St George and Becoming a Dame Part 2

Robert Pullen and Cooper

September 27th, 2018 was to be a long day of flying with Air Canada. I was dreading it as I have never had much luck with regards to customer service with Air Canada.
This series of milk run flights was a pleasant departure from the past! I thoroughly enjoyed my flights as much as anyone can enjoy flying.  It feels like the planes get smaller but I thinks that's also got
something to do with the extra 35 pounds from quitting smoking that I am still packing.

My flights took me from Grande Prairie to Calgary, Calgary to Winnipeg and Winnipeg to Kingston.

My day started at 4:30 AM and it culminated with me arriving at the Econolodge Hotel in Kingston at about 8:00 PM.  I got all checked in to the room and went in search of my sponsor and other fellow postulants.

Allan Plett from the Canadian Army Veterans Motorcycle Units is my sponsor into the Order and he is also the sponsor of Robert Pullen and Tony Moore.

Tony Moore

Robert is a veteran who served in the Baddeck Pocket among other theatres, and he has a Citadel Canine service dog named Cooper - Cooper was the star of the weekend! Robert does a lot of work with Citadel Canine raising funds, awareness and helping other veterans.

Tony Moore is a veteran and is the president of the Whalley Legion in Surrey BC.  They are demolishing their Legion and building an Urban Veterans Facility where the Legion will have it's new digs.

When I realized the caliber of volunteerism and dedication to veterans and cadets these men had, I knew I was with the right group of people.


We enjoyed a beverage in the old pub next door to the hotel and after some chatting, we headed off to our respective rooms.

I wasn't in my room three minutes when I got a knock at the door, my friend Ron Bacon and his son Rick from Cold Lake Alberta were here a day early!!!!

So, What is the Order and Why is this an Honour?

The Order of St. George in Canada has a different mission than it's counterparts in the rest of the world.

The Order is an ancient and military order of knighthood, founded in Hungary in 1326 by King Charles I, Duke of Anjou. It is the most ancient of those Chivalric Orders, which were created as “Royal” institutions, independent of the church. The Order has enjoyed a continuous existence for almost 700 years.  Around the world, the Order raises money and assists persecuted Christians, but in Canada our mission is to serve Veterans, their families and Cadets/Youth.

The Order of St George also has it's own medal that it presents to top Staff Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers (JCR).

Here is the criterion for being awarded:
- The medal may be awarded only once to any one individual.
- The medal is awarded upon one recognized national standard.
- Each Cadet Training Centre (CTC) / Enhanced Training Session (ETS) must award this medal annually.

To be eligible for consideration, a cadet / JCR must meet the following conditions: a. meets all requirements of the CTC / ETS summer training program;
b. is regarded by peers and superiors as exemplifying the model cadet/JCR;
c. be a member in good standing of one of the three cadet organizations (Sea, Army, Air) or the JCR program;
d. has demonstrated outstanding leadership and compassion for subordinates. Was able, through different leadership techniques to motivate subordinates to do what was required;
e. has completed three years as a cadet / JCR;
f. has participated in community service events that the CTC /ETS promotes during the summer;
g. has demonstrated leadership qualities;
h. has demonstrated instructional abilities.

Friday we got to know each other as a group by walking all over Kingston's downtown core, what a beautiful place.  We had lunch with Knights and Dames from Atlantic Canada and my good friend Gabby Koch even came to visit and then we attended the meet and greet at the Four Points Sheraton.

There are many Knights and Dames in the Order of St George that are Canadian Army Veteran Motorcycle Unit members and it did not take me long to feel comfortable with all of the MP's like David Sweet, the Lords and Ladies like Lord Robbie Sprules and his wife, Lady Lucinda.  The people behind the titles of General and Admiral and all of the other military titles, coupled with the civilians who do huge fundraising and offer immense support to families and children, is utterly incredible.

Barb & Mitch

The 400 or so members of the Order of St. George in Canada come from all backgrounds and faiths but they all have one common trait - the giving of their time, talent and heart to causes they believe in.

After a wonderful evening it was time to turn in. The big day was upon us and started with a Postulants breakfast at 8:30 AM that gave us the run down of the day and made sure we were schooled in protocol.  My friend of 30 + years Barb Dransfield Fuller and her hubby Mitch came in from the Ameliasburgh area. Barb is a hair dresser and she did an amazing job of making me look good!

Pretty soon it was time to go to the St. George's Cathedral.


With 32 postulants becoming Knights and Dames, this was to be a two hour ceremony.
The Cathedral has amazing history behind it and was such a fitting place for this ceremony.

The Grand Master, Gareth Greene and Charles Hill the President of the Order here in Canada were the main officiants, with Gareth wielding the sword and Charles presenting the Orders.  (I can not remember the name of the Knight who was spurring us all.)

Here is a short video of my Investiture:

The gala afterwards was an elegant affair. The meal was amazing and then it happened.....the Grand Master called on me to come to the podium.  I thought, oh oh, what is up now?


He started talking about personal commitment to the order and asked me to show the room my tattoo of the Coat of Arms for the Order.   The Inscription on our Coat of Arms stands for United in Love and Service and truly,  from what I have seen,  that motto is accurate and way I wanted it as a tattoo, it resonates with my heart.

Renita Senz of Golden Gopher Tattoo Studio in Derwent Alberta got a great plug that night!

What an amazing experience.
What an incredible honour.

Some of my Fellow Knights from C.A.V with Romeo and 80+ year old Veteran Knight!

Being a Dame in the Order of St. George is already proving to be rewarding.

To learn more about the Order of St. George in Canada visit: www.orderstgeorge.ca

If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Renee Charbonneau DStG
AKA Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Ron Bacon from Cold Lake

Rick Bacon from Cold Lake

The Order of St. George & Becoming a Dame - Part 1 of 2

The Order of St. George & Becoming a Dame - Part 1 of 2

On September 29th, I along with 31 others became Chevaliers in the Order of St. George.
The Investiture Ceremony took place at Kingston Ontario's St. George's Cathedral.

How I came to be invested into the Order

I was sponsored into the order by Allan Plett who is the Ops Manager for 3 C.A.V. (Canadian Army  Veterans Motorcycle Units). I have been an honorary member since 6 months after C.A.V. started about 16 years ago. As a member of the media I don't officially pay dues with any riding club.

I do however wear their crest proudly as a supporter member.

Both my mom and dad served and I was born on the Armed Forces Base Churchill Manitoba.
My now deceased brother, Jim was born in Downsview Ontario and had been a cadet who got his glider pilots wings.

I myself applied to join the military, I took my medical, wrote my exams and waited for two years.
There was a hiring moratorium on at the time and when I got my call to basic training the day I was getting ready to leave for California, I chose California. I ended up getting to work on jet engines and learning anyway.

I admire our military. The Canadian Military is filled with a lot of very noble people, doing work that most of us don't have the courage or the will to do. Most of these people answer a call to service that starts in their soul.

It has its ugly side, but that happens in every organization.  Look around you and you'll know what I mean. Religious leaders doing heinous things, police officers sometimes not much better, doctors and nurses who violate trust...and they make it very hard for those who answer those callings that are pure of heart and truly pushing forward good things.  It happens in the soccer mom community, the football dad community, it happens in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, it's the human condition.

As organizations go, the Canadian Military is an organization that I have dedicated a lot of my effort and time to supporting because while imperfect (such as the human condition is), it's an organization that for the most part is filed with noble, honourable people of their word.

I lived first hand the devestating results of military spouses, one with what we now call PTSD from physical and mental abuse and trauma as a kid, and the other who was a pugalist, and also suffered from trauma in his youth.

Unlike the veterans and Silver Cross families and cadets that I work to support today, I am a civilian and therefore as a rape, physical and mental abuse trauma survivor, supports are not as accessible. At least there are supports available to our veterans and their families as a group, and even if not perfect they sure are evolving in a hurry.  As a civilian, you fall through the cracks and when you live in a city like Grande Prairie, where doctors are here in order to qualify for citizenship, and you lose your doctor when they move to Calgary or Edmonton, it can take as many as 15 years to get another one.
Just ask me. I know our city is working on it, but it's tough to get skilled doctors to live in this cold but beautiful place.

Dealing with the challenges, the triggers, on your own can be difficult, but working with veterans, talking to them, becoming friends with them, you learn from them various coping methods and you grow, evolve.  Homeless veterans and people like me, well we have something in common, we are all but unidentifiable for outreach to get help. We are virtually faceless.  But together we help each other.

Sorry for being a little long winded; I guess I could have just said I identify with them, but you wouldn't have any understanding as to why.

When I was sponsored into the Order of St. George, I had to provide my CV, outline the charitable work I have done, have that vetted and then my application had to go to the board for approval.
It was an interesting process that took the better part of a year.

Getting Ready for the Investiture

I needed a gown for the gala after the ceremony and was talking to my friend Kim Newberry, a
Camrose Alberta Cadet mom whose cadet corps I have sponsored for various things, about this dilemma, I had no idea where to even start and wanted some advice.

Kim recommended a place called Tish's Fashion and Finery.
I was told this was a woman's fashion boutique with a selection that would blow your mind and she got me a fitting appointment for the morning of the Run to the Hills Rally in Two Hills since I'd be in the area already!

The sales lady I dealt with was named Donna, and she was the most patient, kind hearted person inthe world.  I haven't worn a dress other than to the odd Christmas party or funerals in the last 25 years since I quit modelling for part of my living. I had NO clue what would look good on me. She let me try on 7 or 8 dresses, all were beautiful but....

She served me coffee, chatted with me about the event and made sure to help me select dresses that would wow and while all of them were spectacular....when friends and family saw me in the dress that I ultimately chose, their comments had me blushing.

And then you could have knocked me over with a feather when I was told the dress was a gift from Tish for the volunteer work I do for the cadets and veterans. 

Apparently this is something Tish does frequently. She picks out someone that she sees needs/deserves to feel beautiful and she helps make that happen.

So ladies, if you find yourself needing something to make you feel fabulous, may I recommend a dress from Tish's Fashion and Finery in Camrose Alberta!

Suffice it to say, that not only did I feel special, I felt beautiful.

After the gown, I needed to go purchase some dress clothes as we postulants would have 3 functions to get through before the gala and the gown!

It was a whirlwind time filled with learning about the Order in Canada which was brought here in 2003 by the Grande Master Gareth Green. The Order of St George has been around since 1326.

When it started here in Canada it was largely ceremonial but now the Order of St George in Canada is a working Knighthood that supports our military, veterans, cadets and many programs that support our youth.

To learn more about the Order of St. George and the Foundation visit: www.orderstgeorge.ca

Next time, photos and videos from the meet n greet, the ceremony, dinner and my thoughts on being a part of this organization.

Until then, if you are blessed to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you,

Renee "Belt Drive Betty" Charbonneau
Editor & Rider and Dame in the Order of St. George.