Born in St. Peters in 1906 and a descendant of Chief Peguis, Amy Clemons was a pillar of Manitoba’s Friendship Centre movement. As Executive Director of the Selkirk Friendship Centre, she dedicated her life to community service, youth programs, and Cree language preservation. Her tireless advocacy against prejudice earned her Manitoba’s 1970 “Woman of the Year” honors and the Order of Canada in 1973.
Founded in 1967 to secure equal rights and opportunities for all people, the Selkirk Friendship Centre has served as a vital community pillar for decades. From its modest beginnings in a former plumbing shop to the opening of its dedicated Eveline Street facility in 1975 and the 2.3-million-dollar Tyro Housing project in 1990, the Centre—propelled by its passionate volunteers—continues to deliver essential recreational, cultural, and social programming.