They've starred on stage and screen, worked with the poor, helped save the city's precious elm trees and brought professional baseball to downtown Winnipeg.

Now, 12 distinguished Manitobans are being handed the province's highest honour, the Order of Manitoba.

Each year, a seven-member advisory council chooses 12 residents of the province to receive the order based on their demonstrated ability to improve the social, cultural or economic well-being of Manitoba and its residents.

Sam Katz, owner of the Winnipeg Goldeyes Baseball Club and the man who championed the construction of CanWest Global ballpark downtown, is one of this year's recipients.

"I'm not sure I'm deserving of this, but it means a great deal to me," he said yesterday. "I'm humbled by it."

Vern Hildahl, meanwhile, is credited with doing the research that led to the discovery the native elm bark beetle was the cause of Dutch elm disease.

Hildahl persuaded city officials to fund a program to control the disease. Cities like Winnipeg, Chicago and Syracuse implemented his program and lost just two per cent of their elms to the disease.

Yesterday, Hildahl said he was surprised to hear his work had garnered him such an honour.

"I feel I can take a bit of credit for the survival of Winnipeg's elm trees," he said. "But this award is unbelievable."

Longtime Winnipeg Free Press writer Val Werier is also being named to the order.

Werier is being honoured for the effect his writing had on the protection of Lake Winnipeg as well as Manitoba's parks and waterways.

"I have a great respect for this place," he said. "I feel good to be connected to these other outstanding citizens." Werier had been named a Member of the Order of Canada in 1998.

The 12 new members of the Order of Manitoba will be honoured at a ceremony on July 15 at the Manitoba Legislative Building, followed by a reception and dinner at Government House.

Members receive the insignia of the order and are entitled to use the initials O.M. after their names for life.

The recipients include:

Len Cariou: Cariou enjoyed an extensive and successful career as an actor at the Manitoba Theatre Centre, Stratford Festival and on Broadway in New York. Cariou was also artistic director of MTC for the 1975/76 season. He is honorary chair of the MTC Endowment Fund.

Sister Theresa Champagne: A member of the Congregation of the Missionary Oblate Sisters since she was 20, Champagne taught for 34 years in public, private and residential schools throughout the Prairies. Champagne now travels between a number of northern communities serving as pastoral minister to the Cree, Metis and other people living in the North.

Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov: Chochinov has devoted the last 10 years to palliative care research. His work persuaded the Special Senate Committee to support improved end-of-life care for all Canadians. Chochinov has established one of Canada's only palliative care research units designed to study psychosocial issues a they pertain to end-of-life care. He has spearheaded the development of the Canadian Virtual Hospice, an interactive network for patients, families and health-care providers dealing with terminal illness and loss.

Dr. Henry G. Friesen: A medical doctor, Friesen has conducted groundbreaking research on endocrinology. His work on growth hormones at McGill University resulted in a treatment for dwarf children now being used worldwide. Friesen is the author of more than 460 publications in the field of endocrinology.

Virginia Guiang: Guiang immigrated to Winnipeg in 1969 from the Philippines. A teacher, Guiang has volunteered with a number of cultural groups including the Mayor's Race Relations Committee, the Philippine Association of Winnipeg and the Coalition of Filipino-Canadians on Violence Prevention.

Benjamin Hewak: Hewak is a former Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba, having served in that capacity for 17 years. He is the first person of Ukrainian descent to have held the position of Chief Justice.

Vern Hildahl: In his 35 years in the Canadian Forestry Service, Hildahl is credited with discovering the beetle that causes Dutch Elm Disease. Hildahl convinced local authorities to begin a program to control the disease and his work helped cities like Winnipeg save 98 per cent of their elm trees.

Dr. June Marion James: James was the first black woman accepted into the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba. She is currently an assistant professor at the university.

Samuel M. Katz: Katz is president and owner of the Winnipeg Goldeyes Baseball Club. He is credited with the construction of the CanWest Global ballpark in downtown Winnipeg. Katz founded the Winnipeg Goldeyes Field of Dreams Foundation, which has donated $150,000 to charities and non-profit organizations.

Arthur V. Mauro: Mauro's contributions to Manitoba span the law, higher education, charities, health services, arts, aboriginal affairs, civic and cultural life in Manitoba. As a lawyer, Mauro is an expert in the field of transportation, especially as it relates to the North. Mauro has been a lecturer and Chancellor of the University of Manitoba.

Don Robertson: A Cree from Norway House, Robertson – an ordained United Church minister – has dedicated his life to the welfare of his people. Robertson was director of the Indian-Metis Project for Action at Brandon University where he was also the director of the Brandon University Northern Teacher Education Program.

Val Werier: An editor and columnist for both the Winnipeg Tribune and the Winnipeg Free Press, Werier has written extensively on heritage and the environment. Werier championed the protection of Lake Winnipeg as well as Manitoba's parks and waterways.