MPP DUNLOP:    DUNLOP AND STANTON HOST APPRECIATION EVENT

On Sunday May 25, I, along with my Federal counterpart Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton and our families hosted our First Annual Protective Services Appreciation Day.

The event was held at the Coldwater Curling Club and included the families of Simcoe North residents who are directly involved with Police Service, Fire Service, The Paramedic EMS and the Military.  

At the same time approximately 25 other ridings across Canada were hosting similar events. We understand that the Appreciation Day in Simcoe North was the only such event held in Ontario. We hope to make this an annual event to be held on the last Sunday of May each year and will work with our colleagues from other ridings across Ontario to convince them to show their appreciation to those men and women involved in protective services. We were pleased that Laurie Schutt from the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre attended and displayed an owl and some baby geese for the children and their parents to see. We also had face painting, balloons, door prizes and a delicious barbecue.

Jason Lye provided music inside the curling club and outside we were pleased that the new Simcoe County radio station “The Dock” provided music from a promotional vehicle.

We would like to thank all those municipalities and protective service departments who allowed their vehicles to be on display. In total there were 7 fire service vehicles, an ambulance and 6 police service vehicles.

Attending from the OPP were Commissioner Julian Fantino and a number of OPP personnel including OPP officer Fleming who brought OPP dogs Luger and Tyler. Among those attending from fire services were Fire Chief Scott Cowden and Deputy Fire Chief Hugh Murray from Oro Medonte Township, Severn Township Fire Chief Eric Dowell, Tay Township Fire Chief Brian Thomas and several members of the Georgian Bay Township Fire Department.

In total, approximately 270 people attended the event.

Bruce and I would like to thank our Event MC Heather Thompson, from my Orillia office and all of the volunteers who helped us put the Appreciation Day together. We would also like to thank all of those men and women of our protective services who make our communities, our province and our country a safe and secure place to be.

We look forward to our Second Annual Protective Services Appreciation Day in May of 2009.