A bench installed along the Trent River in Campbellford has a special meaning for one family.
The bench was installed in honour of sixteen-year-old Chloe Wellman who was tragically killed in a collision in Campbellford on October 19, 2020.
Chloe’s sister Brooke (age 16) and brother Owen (age 8) were two of the first to use the bench which is located on the Rotary Trail, near the corner of Trent Drive and Gair Street in Campbellford. A number of benches are placed along the walking trail to allow people to rest, reflect and take in the natural surrounding beauty of the Trent River.
The commemorative plaque reads, “But know this; the ones that love us, never really leave us,” by Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series, of which Chloe was a fan.
Since the tragic death of their daughter, Chloe’s parents Angela and Jeff, have chosen to give back to the community, where they were raised along with their family. Along with the bench, the Wellman family is supporting other events in honour of their daughter. Chloe was part of the class of 2021 and in her memory, a scholarship for $1,000 has been established at Campbellford District High. A partnership with Giant Tiger continues to raise funds for the local food bank. The local Girl Guide unit is honouring Chloe by creating an award in her name. She excelled at guiding and was a recipient of the Canada Cord, the most prestigious award for girls in guiding. In 2019, Chloe was honoured to be selected as one of the 359 Canadian students to lay a flower in memory of the 359 Canadians lost at Vimy. Chloe worked hard to earn the money to go to the 75th anniversary, and it was thrilling for her family to see her on national television.
The family asks the community to please support these worthy causes. Pause and sit on Chloe’s bench and remember her.
“We have much to be grateful for,” said the family.
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
