Special Olympics Prince Edward Island : King Charles III Coronation Medal Honourees

The King Charles III Coronation Medal celebrates Canadians who have made outstanding contributions to their communities—and this year, several remarkable individuals from the Special Olympics Prince Edward Island community were among those honoured.

From program builders and longtime volunteers to passionate advocates and athlete leaders, each recipient has helped grow the movement across the province and championed the values of inclusion, empowerment, and civic service.

Below, we invite you to learn more about the Special Olympics Prince Edward Island recipients and their incredible contributions to building a more inclusive Canada.

Cy Holland

Cy Holland has spent over 35 years volunteering in Special Olympics, and recently was Head Coach of Prince Edward Island’s Floor Hockey Team at the 2024 Calgary Winter Games. As PEI’s longest serving volunteer coach, Cy was also given a Special Olympics 50th Anniversary award in 2018.

Peter Howatt

Coaching in Special Olympics for over 30 years, Peter Howatt got to join Team Prince Edward Island in the 2024 National Winter Games. A floor hockey coach, Peter said his favourite part of going to The Games is “watching athletes compete and do their best.”

Outside his volunteer role, Peter also works in a PEI palliative care home.

Heidi Mallett

Chair of the Global Athlete Leadership Council since 2021, Heidi Mallett is a globally recognized Athlete Leader from Prince Edward Island. Her incredible resume of leadership within Special Olympics includes being on the Canadian Athlete Leadership Council, going to the Berlin for the 2023 Global Athlete Congress, and being on SO PEI’s Board.

Outside Special Olympics, Heidi has served People First of Canada--a national organization representing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities—and is the former president of People First’s PEI branch.