Special Gift For Major Sponsor of Our Nations Heroes Hockey Game
Photos are of Judge William James Henderson along with Elizabeth Bailey from Kingston 4 Paws Service Dogs gifted a solid oak chair that belonged to Judge Henderson 45 years ago to Anne Henderson after it was generously refurbished by Barry Braithwaite from Braithwaite Upholstery.
Dave Sopha’s Portraits of Honour Foundation -Our Nations Heroes Hockey Game sponsored by Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) Veterans, Corporal (retired) Brittany Laramie and Master Corporal (retired) Arthur Laramie at the Iron King Gym was an overwhelming success in Kingston over the weekend.
After the Laramie’s retired from the Canadian Armed Forces they chose to continue to serve their country in a different capacity, as Veterans, leading by example to affect change in combating the epidemic of suicide in the Veteran Community by opening The Iron King Gym that is focused on Mental Health for Military Members and First Responders believing that “A family that lifts together, heals together.”
It was a fun game of Our Nations Heroes made up of Soldiers, Veterans and Civilian First Responders playing against the Montreal Canadien Alumni at the Leon’s Centre. The Montreal Canadien Alumni won the game, but that was secondary to the purity of purpose of why the Veteran Community (Veterans and First Responders and the people who care for, and about, them) sat together smiling and laughing and enjoying the opportunity to share the same space with each other.
The primary focus of Our Nations Heroes Hockey Game in Kingston was Mental Health for Military and First Responders and without the extraordinary support from Anne Henderson this event would not have happened. Anne Henderson is the daughter of the late William James Henderson and her father’s Foundation, The WJ Henderson Foundation covered the entire pregame operating costs of this event to pay respect to Our Nations Heroes and to Remember their remarkable service to our Country.
The Honourable Judge William James Henderson was a three-term Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, a former Ontario Supreme Court Justice, a renowned philanthropist, an advisor to politicians and a decorated war veteran.
Judge Henderson enlisted in the Canadian Forces in 1939, transferred to the Royal Canadian Corps of Signalers in 1942. He served in England, Italy, France, Belgium, Germany and Holland as an Intelligence Officer. He was injured in the war, underwent extensive surgery and was discharged in 1946, but served in the Canadian Army Reserves until 1952. Among his numerous honours, Judge Henderson was most proud of those associated with Military service.
While his official service ended in 1952, his loyalty to the military did not end.
Years after he left the Canadian Armed Forces, Judge Henderson, by then a member of the provincial legislature, fought for Veterans, fought for the Legion, and fought for the Canadian Armed Forces. In the 1990s, he supported the Royal Canadian Legion’s appeal for pension increases, and he was the moving force behind the Military Communications and Electronics Museum, Canadian Forces Base Kingston, paying tribute to our Signalers. Judge Henderson known as the Founder of Amherstview, passed away on May 15 2006. He is admired and deeply respected for the service he gave our country, our Canadian Armed Forces and our future.
A touching moment during the opening ceremony was when Elizabeth Bailey from Kingston 4 Paws Service Dogs gifted a solid oak chair that belonged to Judge Henderson 45 years ago to Anne Henderson after it was generously refurbished by Barry Braithwaite from Braithwaite Upholstery.
All around the concourse there were numerous displays featuring the various Mental Health Organizations dedicated to improving the lives of Military and First Responders. Karen Smith of Soxxnsoles, an Independent Associate Team Leader with VOXXLife was in attendance. Karen is focused on the mental and physical wellness of our Military and First Responders and gifted over four dozen pairs of VOXXLife Socks to Our Nations Heroes Hockey Players to improve their balance and stability, aid in their pain relief and increase their energy level. “VOXXLife Human Performance Technology sock is neuro-technology to be your best with your brain at rest” said Karen Smith
Jim and Debbie Lowther from VETS Canada attended to share that VETS Canada, a national, volunteer-driven charity, is the largest 24/7 Canadian organization dedicated to addressing the emergency needs of homeless and in-crisis Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP. They have hundreds of trained and dedicated volunteers, primarily Veterans or still-serving members that have relied on a unique model of peer-support to provide life-saving aid in response to thousands of requests for assistance since 2010. VETS Canada’s firm belief is that no individual who served to protect our homes should ever be without one. Learn more at www.VETSCanada.org
The Portraits of Honour Foundation believes that it is important to honour the great accomplishments made by our Canadian Forces members and to pay their respect to those who serve our country. In 2008 Dave Sopha was personally touched by a news article in the Kitchener Waterloo Record newspaper about the 100th Canadian Fallen Soldier in the Afghanistan War. This article covered the whole front page with the faces of the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Dave felt an over whelming desire to honour each and every one of them while looking into the faces of these men and women. With his talents in the visual arts, an airbrush artist by trade for over 40 years he decided to pick up a paint brush and try his hand at oil painting to create the Portraits of Honour. The Portraits of Honour has been named a National Treasure which has created solace for many grieving family and friends of the Fallen Soldiers. As a father of four himself, Dave felt the need to help the families in their time of grieving, to show them that their loved ones will Never Be Forgotten. At Our Nations Heroes Hockey Game Dave Sopha presented Silver Cross mother Anna Loveman, The Canadian Heroes Foundation Volunteer Director with a painting he created of her son, Craftsman Kyle Sinclair. Montreal Canadien Alumni Chris Nilan, a true gentleman at heart whose father was a Green Beret in the U.S. Army Reserve, picked up the portrait of Craftsman Sinclair and raised the painting high above his head and skated the painting around the rink paying his respect to Craftsman Sinclair’s family members, mother Anna Loveman, brother Evan Sinclair and nephew Jaxon Sinclair for their loss.
After Canadian Armed Forces Veteran and current Montreal Member of Parliament, Marc Miller welcomed attendees on behalf of the Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan, Nancy Siew, The Honorary Colonel of the Military Police Academy and mother of the late Military Police Captain Cletus Cheng dropped the puck with Canadian Forces Base Kingston Base Commander Colonel Kirk Gallinger, Military Police Detachment Commander Lieutenant Cindy Cote and incoming Kingston Chief of Police Antje McNeely.
Playing on the Montreal Canadien Alumni Team in the ‘Thrill of a Lifetime’ positions were Canadian Armed Forces Princess of Wales Own Regiment Warrant Officer Colin Banham sponsored by the Kitchen Family in Cambridge, The Portraits of Honour Foundation member Ian Kitchen and Assistant Coach was Corporal (retired) Gilbert Cardinal sponsored by CannaConnect Ambassador PPCLI Warrant Officer (retired) Bruce Frampton.
Life Changer Morgan Pierce and PPCLI Master Corporal (retired) Collin Fitzgerald were Our Nations Heroes Hockey Game announcers and when the final buzzer sounded at the end of the game, Robbie Chapman from Quilts of Valour and President of the PPCLI Association, Major (retired) Paul Hale presented three Quilts of Valour to Canadian Armed Forces Master Corporal Melissa Last, Corporal (retired) Gilbert Cardinal and his son, Canadian Armed Forces Corporal Kevin Cardinal, Our Nations Heroes Team Captain. Quilts of Valour Canada mission is to ensure that injured Canadian Forces members are recognized for their service and commitment to our country. They give this support through the presentation of quilts to comfort our past and present Canadian Forces members. Quilt of Valour presentations have touched over 7000 injured CAF members and veterans.
On the Jumbo Tron at the Leon’s Center “Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff General Walter Natynczyk speaking at Pete Fisher’s book launch” youtube video played http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKXcn3cFQRo before Lucas Dawe, the son of Fallen Soldier PPCLI Captain Matthew Dawe along with Captain Dawe’s brother, James Dawe skated the Highway of Heroes Adoption Four One Hundred & Fifty Eight in Honour of Major Michelle Knight Mendes Memorial on the ice where it was unveiled by the Former Chief of Defence Staff, General (retired) Walter Natynczyk and three families of the Fallen Soldiers from the Afghanistan War, Captain Dawe’s widow, Tara Dawe, Sergeant Marc Leger’s parents, Richard and Claire Leger and Major Michelle Knight Mendes parents, Ron and Dianne Knight.
It was a challenge to find any dry eyes in the arena when the Military version of Hallelujah played while the Montreal Canadien Alumni and Our Nations Heroes Hockey Players lined up to hug and handshake the Families of the Fallen Soldiers.
After the closing ceremony Natynczyk spoke to Today’s Northumberland about the game and ceremony saying “It was an entertaining time coming together to honour those who serve, our fallen comrades and families of the fallen but it was also an incredibly emotional time.”
“The Montreal Canadians alumni are not only extraordinary athletes and sportsmen, but they are real gentlemen with caring hearts while being mischievous at the same time,” referring to a number of antics throughout the game.
When Natynczyk got a closer look at the Highway of Heroes Memorial globe and could see the details from metal artist Shawn Donnan and Kelly Baldock he was astounded at the workmanship that encompasses the artwork telling the grassroots story of how ordinary Canadians stood together in solidarity on the bridges from Trenton to Keele Street in Toronto to share in the Nations grief when Canada’s sons and daughters were carried home from Afghanistan.
“People came out to do something really extraordinary and share in the grief of the families of the fallen,” Natynczyk stated. “It’s an extraordinary masterpiece dedicated to our fallen and those men and women who still serve.”
On the Highway of Heroes Memorial the start of the story begins with soldiers carrying a casket onto a plane. Four battle crosses acknowledge the first four fallen soldiers. Six hearses acknowledge the devastating events on April 8, 2007 and July 4, 2007 where six soldiers were carried home. “May 17 2006” is the date of Captain Nicola Goddards death. Goddard was the first female to be killed in combat in Canada’s history. A metal ‘ring’ that the memorial globe rests on has the 158 names of the fallen soldiers and the 4 names of the civilians killed in the Afghanistan War. The metal ring and globe are supported by the tailgate from an HLVW (Heavy Logistics Vehicle Wheeled) vehicle.
Natynczyk said the Highway of Heroes is an “outpouring of emotion, pride and grief where Canadians came out in the middle of the day, in the middle of the night, in snow, sunny hot days, pouring rain they showed up right from the outside wire of Canadian Forces Base Trenton to every one of those overpasses into Toronto to show the grief of those families and appreciation of service was shared by Canadians and as Canadians we stand stronger together – united supporting those men and women who serve.”
Anne Henderson honouring her father’s loyalty to the Canadian Armed Forces in supporting Our Nations Heroes Hockey Game provided a space for Dave Sopha to gift over three thousand tickets to Our Nations Heroes Hockey Game to the Kingston community including but limited to Elementary Schools, CFB Kingston, CFB Trenton, Kingston Police Force, the Ontario Provincial Police, Durham Police Force and the 560 Legion.
Kerri Tadeu, a Registered Psychiatric Nurse received exceptional professional guidance from the Leon’s Center staff in organizing Dave Sopha’s Portraits of Honour Foundation – Our Nations Heroes Hockey Game. She had one message to share with Today’s Northumberland “The responsibility of caring for our ill and injured service men and women cannot rest solely on the shoulders of Veterans Affairs Canada. It was through Acts of Service where I learned how to move pain into purpose to help others, to help themselves recover from their Operational Stress Injuries. I call it Operation Why, Not How. It’s not how we are going to care for our ill and injured service men and women, it’s Why all Canadians need to take an active role to care for our service men and women. Lest we Forget that Freedom is Far from Free.”
Corporal Nick Kerr, Master Corporal (retired) Collin Fitzgerald and Kerri Tadeu created The Highway of Heroes Memorial Globe to educate Soldiers, Veterans and Civilians (general public) about the Service and Sacrifices of Canadian service men and women.
The Highway of Heroes Adoption Four One Hundred & Fifty-Eight in Honour of Major Michelle Knight Mendes mobile memorial is scheduled to visit Elementary Schools in Cobourg, Montreal and Longue Sault next week during Remembrance Week to educate our youth about the Service and Sacrifices of the service men and women. Requests for The Highway of Heroes Memorial can be made at svc@cogeco.ca
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love