This Red Friday some happy news of Canadians Helping Canadians as well as a local gal who has now taken over as Food Services Officer in CFB Shilo.
Fallen soldier's home reno finished
By DON PEAT , QMI Agency
TORONTO - Before Pte. Kevin McKay left for basic training, he started building a studio for his mom to work on her quilting and stained glass. He built it while his parents, Fred and Beth, were on vacation and surprised them when they got home.
As time went on, the studio started coming together but McKay didn't have time to finish it. First came basic training. Next he was off to Afghanistan.
He died in Afghanistan in May, days before his tour was to end. The studio became one of those things the 24-year-old would never finish. When his dad's fellow Toronto firefighters came up to the family's Horseshoe Valley home to pay their respects, they vowed to help the fallen soldier finish his last mission.
Firefighter Dan Hjelholt, an electrician by trade, noticed the studio behind the house
"I didn't want an unfinished project that he started for his mom to be a loose end," Hjelholt said Wednesday. "(Kevin) had planned to take care of it. "I wanted it to be done right so Kevin would have been proud of it."
He said the project made sense because it honoured a fallen soldier, helped McKay's father -- who was Hjelholt's first fire captain -- and gave McKay's mom a special place to spend time.
He started planning with fellow firefighters and the McKay family, all in an effort to surprise Fred and Beth. They appealed for donations from businesses around Barrie and the GTA and were overwhelmed with the response, receiving supplies ranging from wood to food for the construction crew.
Early in July, the makeshift construction crew, trailers of tools, equipment and supplies showed up. McKay's parents were overwhelmed with joy.
"All of a sudden I lost it, I went in the house and sat in the bedroom and just cried," Beth said. She wiped her tears and went out to help, cooking up a storm to keep the crews going and shaking her head at how wonderful people can be amid such a tragedy.
"I'm just amazed they did it ... I would never have been able to make it as beautiful as it is," she said, adding she feels bad she hasn't written them thank-you notes yet. She adds the studio project would have been something her son -- a carpenter by trade -- would have done for someone else.
"He was the one who brought everybody together," she said. "He was the kind of guy who did stuff like that." Fred said it's hard to describe how good it felt to get a helping hand from friends.
The brotherhoods of Military, Police, and Firefighters can never be defeated.
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Local Girl guides the food services of CFB.Shilo
PEI native appointed as the FSO for CFB Shilo.
Congratulations are in order for Lieutenant Jana Gorveatt for her posting as the FSO (Food Service Officer) for CFB Shilo in Manitoba.
She is a graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Foods and Nutrition. She then joined the Canadian Forces in September 2008 and had her Officer Cadet training in St. Jean, Quebec. After obtaining her commission, she then went on to CFB Gagetown for Combat Arms training, then CFB Borden for Logistics training and finally, CFB Stadacona in Halifax for Food Service training. She was then posted to CFB Shilo Manitoba where she is now the FSO for the base.
Jana is the daughter of Brian Gorveatt of Charlottetown and Cindy Long of Cornwall
We can all be very proud of her accomplishment.
Last but by no means least this red Friday, Veterans across Canada have united to defend our Ombudsman Pat Stogran. Keep at it Sir we are 100% behind you and we appreciate all that you have brought to the attention of the Government and Canadians as a whole.
Support our Troops
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