To The Stan and Back” (Stan is short for Afghanistan) “Party Under the Stars” Event was held on May 6 at Ottawa City Hall. This 10th Annual Ottawa fundraiser supports Post-Combat Wellness Programs including Service Dogs for Service men and women affected with Operational Stress Injuries such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. To the Stan and Back is responsible for donating over $117,000.00 to Post Combat Wellness Programs in addition to distributing over $200,000.00 in gift certificates.
The event aims to bring Ottawa’s Military, business and political community together to help support a worthwhile cause.
Deputy Mayor Matt Lullof brought greetings and the featured entertainer was Alan Frew of Glass Tiger and Mercedes Stephenson co-emceed.
Kerri Tadeu along with retired MCpl. Collin Fitzgerald and Cpl. Nick Kerr started “SerViCe” when they adopted the Highway of Hereos. The capitals stand for Solider, Veteran and Civilian.
Cobourg resident, Lorna Dickson was the special guest of SerViCe at this event along with the Highway of Heroes volunteers who have travelled as far away as Guelph, Ottawa, Montreal and Cornwall to clean the Higwhay of Heroes that stretches from Trenton to Keele Street in Toronto (172 km East and 172 km West). Port Hope residents Sarah Orr and Silver Cross Mother, Anna Loveman (her son Craftsman Kyle Sinclair died in Petawawa in an incident in 2014) were in attendance along with myself as Highway of Hereos volunteers.
Lorna Dickson is affectionately known as the “Highway of Heroes Earth Angel” after meeting Kerri Tadeu during the Spring Clean of the Highway of Heroes which was also Earth Day on April 22 2018. Dickson was cleaning an area near a relatives property in Wesleyville, and Tadeu, Master Corporal (retired) Collin Fitzgerald and Highway of Heroes Volunteers were in the process of cleaning the on and off-ramps of the Highway of Heroes when they met Dickson.
The Highway of Hereos Earth Angel, shared her thoughts with Today’s Northumberland
“You feel a sense of fellowship and belonging from sharing a common bond in remembering our Fallen, those suffering trauma; giving and receiving of our strengths and weaknesses, all in our own way. Soldier, Veteran or Civilian, service animal or First Responders; we are our greatest support to one another and that resonated throughout this event; along with my own personal experience of the guiding light of Major Michelle Knight-Mendes whom I never met but continues to lead me forward in service for the Highwa of Heroes through Kerri Tadeu.
Thank you for allowing me the privilege of being a guest at this event to honour All That Gave Some and Some That Gave All!”
When Dickson asked Tadeu how she can support the Highway of Heroes Adoption, Tadeu shared two organizations that support ill and injured service men and women- Project Trauma Support and To The Stan and Back.
For over a year Dickson has supported these two organizations under the Highway of Heroes Adoption by collecting empty alcohol bottles and cans and returning them to the beer store, holding 50/50 draws and raffles at CPK Interiors in Port Hope and receiving funds from the United Steel Workers Union Of America in memory Major Michelle Knight Mendes, donating a total of over $2,000 to Project Trauma Support and To The Stan and Back.
This year for the 2019 Spring Clean of the Highway of Heroes, Dickson collected $500 for To The Stan and Back for the Party Under The Stars Event where Kerri Tadeu, Master Corporal (retired) Collin Fitzgerald and Corporal Nick Kerr were the keynote speakers.
The word about Dickson’s donation spread fast among the Veteran Community and a number of people and organizations stepped forward to match Dickson’s $500.00 donation for the Party Under the Stars Event.
The donors who made a $500 donation to Cheri Elliot at the Party Under The Stars Event in memory of Major Michelle Knight Mendes on the 10th anniversary of her death include Brittany and Arthur Laramie, Veterans of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry representing The Iron King Ltd, Mandy Martin representing The Royal Canadian Legion Brach 187 in Colborne, Sunni Boisvert representing Cannaconnect in Kingston, Sherry Lachine representing Broadmind in Kingston, Dan Friedman representing Ciena in Montreal, Jason Mullis a proud Military Supporter and Highway of Heroes Volunteer and Spartan Health and Wellness.
Kerri Tadeu shared her thoughts with Today’s Northumberland “In a world where Canadians are the True North Strong and Free because of the Brave, never was so much owed by so many to so few and when you know better, you do better and Cheri Elliot, Founder of ‘To The Stan and Back’ is doing better by meaning what she says and saying what she means with her commitment to caring for our ill and injured service men and women.
It’s humbling to share the same space with her and our Highway of Heroes Earth Angel Lorna Dickson at this very special event which highlights how ordinary Canadians are extraordinary in their support of our Military, Veterans and First Responders”
A mini documentary about the Highway of Hereos was played http://youtu.be/vikS_PmHlak
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
