3 Islanders join Order of P.E.I.

An educator, an artist and a business leader all joined the Order of Prince Edward Island in a ceremony held Wednesday in Charlottetown.

Olive Bryanton of Hampshire, P.E.I., Henry Purdy of Charlottetown and Beverley Simpson of York, P.E.I., were chosen out of 32 nominees.

Purdy is a visual artist and art instructor who has been working on P.E.I. for more than 62 years.

He has pushed to have commercial art taught in Charlottetown and started Holland College's school of visual arts in 1977. In 1999, his lady slipper gold coin design was selected and minted.

He continues to teach, present workshops and paint. Purdy said he was humbled by the award, particularly looking at the other recipients, and it made him think back on his life.

"It's not about great accomplishments, I don't think," he said of the Order of P.E.I.

"I think the emphasis for the award is on whether or not you're a member of your community and you give to your community. That's the biggest thing, and I hope that's how I'm being thought about."

'Just go out and do it'

Bryanton is an educator, a seniors' advocate and a mother of five. She helped establish the first multipurpose seniors' centre on P.E.I., as well as the Seniors College that operates in partnership with UPEI. 

Last year, she became the oldest ever PhD recipient at UPEI when she earned a PhD in education at the age of 82.

Bryanton said there is no great secret to getting involved.

"If you feel like doing something just go out and do it. If you feel there's a need there must be a need," she said.

Start local

Simpson is the president of Veseys Seeds, a company he has been with for 64 years. 

He's overseen huge growth at the company. In his time, the company has gone from mailing 10,000 seed catalogues to more than one million.

Simpson said once you start locally, things tend to grow.

"Just get involved in your local community, and it will likely spread a little further than that once you get involved locally," he said.

The awards were presented by Lt.-Gov. Antoinette Perry and Premier Dennis King, in front of a small audience of friends and family at Fanningbank.

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