Community Foundation names 2026 Top 7 Over 70 honourees in southeast Alberta

The Community Foundation of Southeast Alberta has named the seven recipients of its 2026 Top 7 Over 70 awards, a biennial program honouring older adults for leadership, service, innovation and community impact.

This year's recipients are Uwe Karsten Krickhahn, who built an online database mapping more than 110,000 locations in former Prussia and Pomerania to help people trace family history; Terry Cooper, who leads Team Freewheel in refurbishing bicycles for families in Medicine Hat and Redcliff; and David Carter, a 92-year-old author and former MLA who has written extensively on history and spiritual topics.

Also honoured are Gail Anderson, who created the Commemorative Forest allowing residents to sponsor trees in memory of people or events; Ron Edwards, an auctioneer and volunteer behind the Cypress Hills Children's Make-A-Wish Trailride and general manager of the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede; Les Little, who helped establish the South Alberta Flight Academy for aspiring young pilots; and Gorden Reynolds, who led efforts to establish a municipally controlled medical clinic to address a local physician shortage.

Foundation director Jim MacArthur said the program celebrates individuals still contributing meaningfully to society and can inspire broader community involvement. The seven will be formally recognized at the Top 7 Over 70 Gala on Oct. 14 at Medalta.