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THE POWER OF
VOLUNTEERS
I've just finished up a report for
one of our major sponsors and was astounded at the numbers that came
up regarding our volunteers at the Park. Our most valuable
attribute at the Park, second only to our young campers, is the
dedication consistently shown by those fantastic people who donate
so very much of their time, their energy, their caring and their
money towards our Park. Considering each day as an 8 hour day,
while our volunteers consistently put in 10 to 12 hours a day, and
calculating what this would cost the Park if we paid them $10 per
hour, the volunteers of Peacekeeper Park contribute annually over
$70,000 to the Park. WOW!!!! It's seems very
insignificant to say "THANK YOU" but without all of those volunteer
hours, a lot of young people's lives would not be so significantly
enriched. Our volunteers have made what we do possible -
our volunteers are our future.
THEY MADE A
DIFFERENCE
Last year FIRMM, Families In
Remembrence of Military Members, put out an excellent calendar
called, They Made a Difference, with stories and remembrances of our
Afghanistan Fallen, all with the permission of the families of our
Fallen. Well, they've done it again this year with a 2010
Calendar which is every bit as good as last year's edition.
Any monies made from the sale of the calendars goes towards FIRMM's
goals which are: education within Canada, while emphasizing our CF
members as family members and that they did make a difference;
support family sponsored events in remembrance of Fallen CF members;
support Canadian veterans with an emphasis on wounded CF members;
and support reconstruction in Afghanistan. We strongly
recommend these calendars and support the work that FIRMM is doing.
If you wish to purchase a calendar, $20, contact FIRMM at
firmm@telus.net
CALLING ALL
KOREAN WAR VETERANS
The Southwestern Ontario Chapter of CAVUNP has asked
that we help circulate the following information. We are
trying to locate all living veterans of the Korean War who are not
already on the Korean Veterans Association database. Next year
is the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War and the KVA of Canada
wants to include all who answered the call in the Remembrance
celebration. A major service is planned overseas as well as at
the Korean Veterans National Wall of Remembrance in Brampton, Ont,
Jly 27th, the day and month the armistice was signed in 1953.
So come on, get registered. Contact Terry Wickens' KVA Canada
team at
terrywiekens@sympatico.ca
And from all of us at Peacekeeper Park a heartfelt
thank you for your service and your sacrifices.
HERO TO HERO PROGRAM
Hero to Hero Team Canada is a great organization of
First Responders who send their T Shirts to our troops who are
deployed overseas to help boost their morale. They are
currently looking for donours for their 2010 shipment. Good
job done by Kevin McHarg, a Sarnia Firefighter, who heads up the
Canadian effort and his volunteers. Visit their website at
HerotoHeroTeamCanada.com and you too can give our soldiers
a reason to smile.
A LADY WHO CARES
In my home town lives a lady named Karen Wilson who
recently baked
522
dozen Christmas Shortbread cookies which is a major feat in itself.
What is even more remarkable is that her and her husband, M.B., have
managed to get these cookies to 94 of our soldiers serving in
Afghanistan for their Christmas stockings. As if that wasn't
enough, Karen plans to send more cookies over with the Hero to Hero
shipment this spring. What a way to let our troops know "WE
CARE". Thank you to Karen and M. B. and to all the individuals
and groups that supported her effort.
OUR WATER SYSTEM
We have recently learned that our drinking water system
at the Park falls up an Ontario Regulation that requires more
stringent testing and the addition of purification systems. We
are working closely with the appropriate government agencies to meet
this standard in order to further protect the health of the young
people who visit our Park. A number of our volunteers have
completed their required training and our well has been sealed and
capped. Please rest assured that the water
is still of the highest quality and that these are safe guards to
ensure it remains of the highest quality. A record of all the
samples and analysis results is available at the Park's HQ building
for your examination during normal business hours.
We now have the well capped and sealed, a water softener
installed, a new water treatment room built, and some filters and
the required purification devices will be installed within the next
two weeks.
THREE FOR TWO - GET
A FREE WEEKEND
The Park is now offering a free weekend to any
group that books and pays for two weekends during our fiscal year,
01 Apr 09 to 31 Mar 10. You have to use up the free weekend
within the same fiscal period. It's a small attempt on our
part to say "Thank You" to our regular customers and also an effort
towards encouraging more groups to use our Park.
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