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August 28, 2010, (Halifax, NS)
Kin Canada announces the creation of the Portraits of Honour National Tour.
 
The hand painted Portraits of Honour 10' x 50' mural features the faces of the 151 Canadian Forces troops who have lost their lives while serving in Afghanistan.
 
The Portraits of Honour National Tour will travel across Canada startingJune 1, 2011.
 
For more information, visit www.portraitsofhonour.ca or call 1-888-9-HONOUR

NEWS FLASH! Honour House Honorary Patron Married

True to his promise, the Honorary Patron of Honour House, Trevor Greene, this summer stood to exchange marriage vows with Debbie Lepore and later danced with his bride at the wedding.

Members of the Honour House Society are delighted with the news of Trevor's ongoing recovery and extend congratulations to Debbie and Trevor on the happy occasion in Nanaimo, BC on July 24, 2010.

Here is the story as reported in The Province and all BC newspapers on August 13, 2010.

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Nanaimo soldier who survived axe attack in Afghanistan dances at his wedding

Trevor Greene, who was told he’d be confined to a bed after an axe attack in Afghanistan, stands up to marry his fiance

Trevor Greene has recovered enough from a brain injury that he danced with his wife Debbie at their July wedding. Photograph by: Dustin Walker, Nanaimo Daily News

NANAIMO — Exchanging vows at the altar with her longtime fiance was once too much for Debbie Greene to even imagine.

Trevor Greene was fighting for his life in hospital after suffering massive brain damage in March 2006 when he was struck in the head with an axe while serving with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.

Doctors said he would spend his life confined to a bed.

They were wrong.

On July 24, Trevor was even able to stand up — supported by a set of parallel bars — to marry his sweetheart in front of about 120 friends and relatives in Nanaimo.

Trevor’s recovery from brain injury has inspired an award-winning documentary and attracted hundreds of letters from people who have been touched by his story of courage and perseverance.

But it’s really a love story.

“I’d never thought we would get to where we are today,” said Debbie, smiling at her husband in the living room of their home in Nanaimo.

Debbie has dedicated herself to Trevor’s rehabilitation since he returned to Canada.

After making it through an agonizing first year of recovery at Vancouver General Hospital, Trevor focused on regaining abilities most medical professionals said he would never get back: using a keyboard, standing and, hopefully one day, walking.

Now the newlyweds are writing a book to inspire others who are facing challenges in their lives that seem insurmountable.

“If I can do it, anyone can,” said Trevor, his voice soft but clear. “I love being a role model.”

Just one year ago, Trevor wouldn’t have been able to stand for his wedding.

He even stood on his feet for their first dance; the song was You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate.

The couple met in Vancouver in 2001 and were together for five years before Trevor was called to Afghanistan. Their daughter Grace was one year old at the time.

Trevor was part of a platoon of Canadian soldiers attending a routine meeting with Afghan village elders when the attack occurred. He had removed his helmet as a sign of respect when he was ambushed from behind by a youth swinging an axe.

After spending a year in the Vancouver hospital, he worked toward recovery at the Halvar Jonson Centre for Brain Injury in Ponoka, Alta.

By the fall of 2008, Trevor’s most severe medical problems were under control, and the family moved to Nanaimo, where Debbie’s sister was living.

They transformed their garage into a gym, where Debbie coaches her husband through his 2 ½ hour workout that takes place five or six days each week. That’s on top of other muscle and voice exercises.

Trevor, from Sydney, N.S., can now pull himself to a standing position from his wheelchair, wheel himself around their home, type with one hand and can even drink wine.

“That,” he jokes, “is the important one.”

Following an eight-month tour of duty in Afghanistan, Alex Hargott has enrolled in BCIT’s School of Business under the Reservist Re-entry Program.   Credit: Doug Shanks

EDUCATION: Mission: Knowledge

A new program helps war veterans move on to the next stage of their lives.

By Jessica Barrett

Alex Hargott gives the impression of being an old soul. At 25, he has a boyishness about him that stands at odds with his manner of speaking — a confident, folksy cadence injected with archaic turns of phrase you might expect to hear from a much older man. But as conversation progresses, another theory about his seemingly advanced maturity suggests itself: Hargott deployed for an eight-month tour of duty in Afghanistan when he was 23, and there are probably few things like being in a war zone to make someone grow up fast.

Read the entire story on WestEnder

Travelling Flags

Honour House Society assisted Heather Garrison in coordinating The Travelling Flags visit to Royal United Services Institute Luncheon and visit to New Westminster City Hall, a uniquely Canadian tribute to Canadian Forces members who have died in Canada. 

Sadly, Heather and her husband Jim added the 151st CF member fallen in Afghanistan, Sapper Brian Collier to The Travelling Flag.  Jim devoted four hours to writing each fallen soldiers name on the fifth Travelling Flag.

Angela MacIsaac, military spouse, whose husband works for the Canadian military, came up with the idea of sending a Canadian flag from city to city where events are held to support Canada's military.

The white section of the flag has the names of the 151 Canadian Forces members who have been killed.

The flag is accompanies by two Journals, in which Canadians can record their thoughts and messages to the fallen and their families. People can write their comments and names on the red sections of the flag. In addition to the original flag, there are now four additional flags bearing the names of our fallen heroes.

For more information on the Travelling Flag project go to: thetravellingflagcanada@gmail.com

The flags and Journal will be donated to the Canadian War Museum when they complete their journey.

Original flag and new flags on the wall and tables at the Bessborough Armoury	"Journal of Remembrance," citizens write down their tributes to our fallen warriors
Close up of a portion of the Original flag	Pins and badges of organizations and regiments who have signed the flag or written in the Journal. Note the new Afghan veteran pin.
Honour House Director, Cam Cathcart, Vancouver Area Flags Coordinator, Heather Garrison, Honour House Director,  Jim Stanton. Note: Everyone wore red to honour the fallen	39 Bde Group Public Affairs Officer Capt. Chris Poluton and Honour House Director, Cam Cathcart

Celebrate the Official Re-opening

Honour House Director Cam Cathcart (l) joined New Chelsea Society General Manager Pat Buchannon (c) and Jim Howard, First Vice President New Chelsea Society (r), to help celebrate the official re-opening of their expanded offices on July 23, 2010. 

Honour House Society is proud to be a full partner with New Chelsea Society in the operation of Winch House in Vancouver.

HMCS Vancouver Namesake Presentation

Honour House Director Cam Cathcart congratulates Admiral Tyrone Pile, CMM, CD, Commander, Maritime Forces Pacific, at Vancouver City Hall following a ceremony at which the Admiral presided over the HMCS Vancouver Namesake Presentation to the Mayor and City Council as part of the 2010 Canadian Navy Centennial.

The presentation took place on July 20, 2010.  Photo by Mits Naga

BC Commissionaires presents a cheque for $1100

Allen Batchelar, President & CEO, of BC Commissionaires presents Honour House Vice-President Jim Stanton with a cheque for $1100.00 to support Honour House.

These funds were generated at the Commissionaires Golf Tournament last month. A big thanks is extended from Honour House to the Commissionaires.

Vice-President Stanton speaks to Burnaby-Deer Lake Rotary Club

Jim was accompanied by Heather Garrison where he gave the Burnaby Rotarians a briefing on Honour House. Heather spoke about the Travelling Flag program (www.thankasoldier.net)

The presentations were very well received and some good follow-up work is possible with a related charitable organization. More later.

Jim Stanton delivering the Honour House PowerPoint presentation	Jim and Heather Garrison received a print of appreciation from the Deer Lake Rotary Club
(Left to right) Rotarian Adrienne Bruce, Heather Garrison and Jim Stanton after the Honour House presentation

Vice-President Jim Stanton invited to meet Queen Elizabeth in Ottawa

I was delighted to accept the invitation to attend the garden reception to have an opportunity to meet Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on Wednesday, June 30 at Rideau Hall, the official residence of the Governor General, Michaëlle Jean.

I have attached a quick PowerPoint of my experiences on that whirl-wind trip. Click on the PowerPoint icon to see my slides. 

Rideau Hall PowerPoint 2.5 MB

Fund Raising Seminar held in Vancouver

Honour House Board of Directors, Al De Genova, Jim Stanton, Cam Cathcart, Larry Kerr, John Appleby and invited guests Charlotte Anderson, David Bassett, Mike Shardlow and Ken Hague attended a day-long fund raising seminar lead by Rob Peacock of Peacock Philanthropy Inc. in Vancouver on June 19th, 2010.

The workshop and lunch were generously hosted by David Bassett of Macquaire Private Wealth Inc. 

Rob took the team through  a series of exercises to show how to set up a philanthropic program that works.

As a result of this session, we are now better organized to move forward with our fund raising plans in a strategic, coordinated manner.

Macquarie's offices at 500 - 550 Burrard St.	David Bassett, Rob Peacock (standing) and Al DeGenova discuss the Revenue Generation Plan option during the fund raising seminar
Macquarie boardroom where seminar was held	Al De Genova and Charlotte Anderson preparing for role play
The team got involved in role playing exercises	Rob Peacock, Facilitator, Cam Cathcart, Honour House Director, David Bassett, Macquarie Inc. host
	Rob lead us on a series of animated of discussions

Honour House attends Royal Canadian Legion, Annual General Meeting, Winnipeg

Honour House Vice-President, Jim Stanton and Director Cam Cathcart spoke to the Royal Canadian Legion Annual General Meeting in Winnipeg on June 16th to a capacity crowd of more than 1100 Legion delegates from across Canada.

Cam brought greetings from President Al De Genova and outlined the progress we have made from inception to renovations of our new property.

Jim presented a dynamic PowerPoint show which complimented and highlighted Cam's remarks.

Delegates expressed strong support for Honour House and were impressed with the quality of housing and furnishing that the veterans, first responders and their families have access to in Winch House and Honour House.

We were invited to come to the next Legion AGM in Halifax in 2012 to bring them up-to-date on what happens after we open.

	Veteran Don Cameron a WW2 British Columbia Regiment tank commander was one of the stars of the Convention. At age 92 Don travelled on his own from BC to WInnipeg and was then going to visit his extended family in Ontario after the convention

Netherlands Remembrance Day Ceremony, Vancouver, May 4, 2010

Honour House was invited to attended the Netherlands Remembrance Day Ceremony at Victory Square on 4 May 2010.

The Ceremony was held to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Netherlands by Canadian and other Allied troops during World War II.

An address was delivered by Netherlands Consul General HH Driesser, Sgt. Kennedy of the Seaforth's played the lament. A moving Dutch Remembrance Day tribute was read by Lini Grol. Following a prayer of remembrance, Bdr. Toth of the 15th Field Regiment played Last Post, followed by two minutes of silence and then Reville.

While "Abide With Me" was played, wreaths were laid by various dignitaries, including Honour House Director Cam Cathcart on behalf the the Vancouver Remembrance Day Committee.

Two World War Dutch veterans laid a wreath on behalf of their comrades	Honour House Vice-President Jim Stanton, Honour House  Directors, John Appleby and Cam Cathcart
Bdr. Toth and Sgt. Kennedy	Honour House Director H/Maj. Cam Cathcart laid a wreath on behalf of the Vancouver Remembrance Day Committee

Cam Cathcart @ CBC Radio One

Cam Cathcart, Honour House Director and Communications Chair, with Stephen Quinn, Host of Vancouver's CBC Radio One "On The Coast" share a laugh before going on-air on Tuesday, April 27 2010. 

During his CBC Radio appearance a few days after the Honour House ground breaking ceremony Cam stressed to Quinn and his audience the needs of Canada's new generation of veterans, what Honour House will offer them and their families, and acknowledged the generous assistance to Honour House by a wide range of supporters.

Honour House Dedications Ceremony

Legion Foundation President Gerry Vowles (left) presents $60,000 cheque to Honour House Society President, Allan DeGenova at honour House ground breaking ceremony on April 24, 2010.

On April 24th, an official sod-turning ceremony was held at our new location on 509 St. George Street, New Westminster, BC.

Honour House Society President Al De Genova, New Westminster Mayor Wayne Wright, LCOL Doug Poitras Royal Westminster Regiment and Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile, Commander, Maritime Pacific officially dedicated the House.

Renovations have begun on the property, an Open House has been held with local residents and it is anticipated that the House will be open for business during Veteran's Week in November 2010.

Here's the series of official pictures taken by Ashleigh Young.

Braving a cold rain, supporters witnessed the ground breaking ceremony at Honour House, 509 St. George Street, New Westminster, BC on April 24, 2010	Mayor Wayne Wright welcomes Honour House Society to the City of New Westminster, BC prior to ground breaking ceremony on April 24, 2010.
Wielding the ground breaking shovel on April 24, 2010: (l to r) LCol Doug Poitras, CO, Royal Westminster Regiment; Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile, Commander, Maritime Pacific; Mayor Wayne Wright, City of New Westminster; Allan De Genova, President, Honour House Society	City of New Westminster Wayne Wright and Honour House Society President Allan De Genova welcome supporters to Honour House following ground breaking  ceremony on April 24, 2010

Left to right: John Appleby, Cam Cathcart, Mrs Point, Lt. Gov Point, Lt.Gov's ADC

Salute to our Afghanistan Veterans

Honour House Vice-President President Jim Stanton and Directors John Appleby and Cam Cathcart had the opportunity to meet with BC Lt. Gov. The Honourable Steven L. Point, OBC and Mrs Gwendolyn Point at the "Salute to our Afghanistan Veterans" event on April 14th at the hotel Vancouver.

Following in his footsteps

AFGHANISTAN
By KATE DUBINSKI, The London Free Press
Canoe.ca/news
Last Updated: April 3, 2010 12:43am

Sean Wilson talks like a soldier. The Londoner talks about being "inside the wire" and his "tour" in Afghanistan, his mission.

Often, Wilson walks the perimeter of Kandahar Airfield and looks to the southwest. Past the village, the locals, the sheep and the camels, he can make out the Panjwaii District, where his brother, Trooper Mark Wilson, was killed in October 2006, and where fierce fighting continues today.

"I like to just ponder, and think of the great work our soldiers are doing in the name of peace, to help the people of Afghanistan try to get back on their feet, so they can help themselves."

Wilson is in Afghanistan for six months, working as a civilian with the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency (CFPSA) that operates the many shops and the Tim Hortons at Kandahar Airfield.
Last week, Wilson got a chance most soldiers' families never do. Strings were pulled to allow Wilson, 38, to go beyond the perimeter to see the approximate spot where his brother, 39, and a father of two boys, was killed.

"I was asked by my higher-ups if I would like to go outside the wire on official CFPSA business.
I nearly cried, I was so happy," Wilson wrote in an e-mail from Kandahar.

"I was given the chance to see the forward operating base (that) Mark was working from before he died . . . It was amazing, to say the least. I was able to look through binoculars and see, roughly, the exact place Mark was killed. I was approximately three km from the accident site."

Wilson credits Maj. Cindy Tessier and Gen. Walter Natynczyk, Canada's chief of defence staff, for making his dream come true.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I, as a civilian, think I would see the area in which Mark was killed. The military has gone above and beyond with me."

Trooper Mark Wilson was a member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons. He was killed when his armoured vehicle was struck by a bomb.

He was the 40th Canadian soldier killed in the Afghanistan mission, and the only Londoner to die in that country. In London's long military history, Wilson is likely also the first soldier killed in combat overseas to be given a funeral and burial here.

For his younger brother, the work in Afghanistan - serving soldiers who served with his brother -- is a pilgrimage.

"I believe it took me a year after Mark's death to realize he was not coming home," Wilson said in his e-mail.

"I was very sad, upset and angry, not at the military, but just due to the fact that we had lost Mark . . . I felt I had to do whatever I could, to go as far as I could go, to honour my brother, who we all dearly loved. I felt I would not be happy, could not move on in my life, until I reached my goal of trying to help our forces and the people of Afghanistan, like my brother Mark did."

Talking to Afghans about his brother has given Wilson a new perspective on his brother's death.

"They said how sorry they were but all I could think . . . was that my family lost Mark, but they have lost so much as well," Wilson wrote.

Wilson considered joining the reserves a couple of years ago but his mom asked him not to. "We have already lost Mark. I cannot lose any other children," she told him.

Wilson works seven days a week, alternating between the four retail shops on the base that sell everything from toiletry to clothing, electronics and snacks and the Tim Hortons that's the busiest outlet within the base.

He began his time in Afghanistan in January, and will be back in London in early July. Since arriving in Kandahar, Wilson said, the airfield has begun to feel like home.

"I obviously miss my family, but this six months is whipping by and I am trying to take in as much as possible, because someday soon I will look back and say 'Was I really there?