They are not alone
The funerals have begun while the death toll continues to mount. A shocked nation is still deep into its grieving process. The first funeral was held April 13 even as news spread that another person involved in the horrific crash a week ago had died from her injuries. It brings to 16 the number of dead among the 29 on board a bus heading to a Humboldt Broncos junior hockey playoff game — a trip which ended in unfathomable tragedy. Some of the survivors remain in critical condition.
In businesses, classrooms and newsrooms across the land, sports jerseys were worn Thursday. It was in response to a challenge from a group of British Columbia hockey moms, asking Canadians to wear a sports jersey — or even a ribbon — as a show of solidarity with victims’ families in Humboldt, Sask.
Canadians rushed to support the bereaved families — donating more than $8 million to a GoFundMe campaign, to wearing a jersey, to putting a hockey stick on their front porch, to messages of condolence. We wanted Humboldt to know it is not alone.
Experts tell us that such displays of support are immeasurably beneficial to help the families, friends and teammates of the Broncos recover from their shock and grief. People need support in such times, as they try to understand this calamity, deal with their loss and then to move on with their lives.
Although Humboldt is thousands of kilometres away, the tragedy hits home in many Atlantic communities where sports teams and so many other groups get on buses every day to represent a school, a team or community in competitions and events.
Hockey teams from the NHL to atom house league stand together with the Broncos. It’s why players from the Halifax Mooseheads and Charlottetown Islanders gathered in solidarity before the start of their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs games. Rivalries were put aside and players all become part of the national sports family. Similar scenes were repeated in communities across Atlantic Canada and the nation.
Humboldt’s imprint has weaved its way across the Canadian landscape. The Broncos played on P.E.I. 15 years ago when the Royal Bank Cup junior A hockey championship was hosted in Charlottetown. While Humboldt lost to Camrose, Alberta 3-1 in that final, the starry Broncos dominated the individual awards. The team went on to win two Royal Bank Cups in the years following.
Yes, it is a small world and we are all part of that tight-knit hockey family.
The start of the Stanley Cup playoffs, usually an exciting time for teams and fans — is tempered by the Humboldt tragedy when so many NHL players and coaches have a connection with that Prairie community and province. It puts things into proper perspective.
The message behind the recent campaigns to support victims of the Humboldt tragedy is, ‘We are all one team.’ Let’s continue to remember that as the heroic dead are laid to rest.
Here’s a look at what was making the news 25 and 50 years ago in the Hants Journal.
25 years ago
(April 14 and 21, 1993 editions)
• The RCMP raided the property of an Ellershouse man and seized 12 almost mature marijuana plants, a quantity of cut marijuana, weigh scales and seed pots. The estimated street value was $50,000.
• Windsor IGA was broken into and 80 cartons of cigarettes were stolen. The week prior, the same store was broken into and even more cigarettes were stolen.
• Jim and Lorna Swinamer, of Windsor, were “furious” after the Town of Windsor’s bylaw enforcement officer picked up their small dog and had it euthanized just four afters after picking it up. The town’s policy concerning the killing of loose dogs was then thrust into the spotlight.
• It was anticipated that the Hants County SPCA would become a registered society in April.
• The Windsor Fire Department received a new pumper truck valued at $312,000. The No.1 pumper was custom built in Red Deer and was said to sport a 400 hp Detroit diesel engine, an 800 gallon tank and a fully enclosed, climate-controlled cab that could seat eight firefighters.
• Members aboard the HMCS Preserver submitted a photo of the Hants County seamen with the Hants Journal. The men had just returned from duty in Mogadishu, Somalia. They spent five months working with the United Nations forces. The men were: James (Scotty) Cameron, Windsor; Ernie Hollett, Falmouth; Mike McCarthy, Hantsport; and Chris MacDonald, Three Mile Plains.
• The provincial government announced the court restructuring plan. Few changes were being made to Windsor’s courthouse, with the main one being that Supreme Court hearings would only be held in Windsor at the discretion of the presiding justice.
• The Windsor Hockey Heritage Society joined forces with Mermaid Theatre to display hockey memorabilia in the theatre’s downtown windows.
The feature item of the display was a handmade, life-size, soft-sculpture, hockey doll called Tommy Chandler. He was to represent the first boy to play the game on Long Pond, and was named after Thomas Chandler Haliburton.
The head of the doll was created by Carol Peterson, of Falmouth. The toque and turtleneck were hand-knit by Donna Fraser, whose sons played hockey for King’s Collegiate School. His body and skates were made by veteran Windsor hockey player Jim Wilcox.
• Ski Martock recorded a record-breaking year that wrapped up with the slush cup. The 1991-92 season was the longest season recorded in any ski area in Atlantic Canada – they were open 124 days. A total The Windsor Hockey Heritage Society joined forces with Mermaid Theatre in 1992 to display hockey memorabilia in the theatre’s downtown windows. The feature item was a handmade, life-size, soft-sculpture, hockey doll called Tommy Chandler. Veteran Windsor hockey player Jim Wilcox and Carol Peterson, of Falmouth, helped create the doll.
of 110,000 visitors hit the slopes. While that was 7,000 less than the previous year, it was good for the second highest number of visitors reported at Martock.
• The Municipality of West Hants launched a blue bag curbside recycling program in specific areas in the county, like Falmouth, Windsor Forks, along Chester Road, Newport Station and Wentworth Road. The municipality hoped over a twoyear period they could expand the recycling program to other areas.
• Five women were seeking the Princess Hantsport crown. They were Kathy Martin, Jocelyn McLeod, Rebekah Price, Jennifer Schurman and Tyra Starratt.
• Ten women were vying for the 1993 Princess Windsor crown. They were: Kimberly Arnason, Shira Dauphinee, Amanda Dunfield, Vicki Elliott, Krista Lake, Janet Lunn, Kelly MacAskill, Heidi McAdoo,Theresa McKay and Lynn Woodman.
• Cpl. Mark O’Reily, of Windsor, left on April 7, 1993 for Croatia to serve seven months as a UN Peacekeeper.
• After being crowned the Nova Scotia Junior B champions, the Windsor Royals were presented with individual awards at a special ceremony. Winning awards were: Brad Pemberton, most improved player; Jeff Burbidge, top scorer; Jeff Lunn, top goalie; Matt van Raalte, top goalie; Fred Corkum, playoff MVP.
50 years ago
(April 3, 10 and 17, 1968 editions)
• A large barn owned by George Barkhouse, in Centre Burlington, was destroyed by fire. Built in 1927 by Wiswell Barkhouse and sons, the landmark barn was 55 feet by 49 feet and featured heavy wooden framework.
• Ernest Hilchie lost five buildings and 1,000 bales of hay to fire when a grass fire in Stirling’s Brook got out of control. A home, located a short distance from the fire scene, was saved.
• After 32 years of servicing Windsor and Hants County, Art Murdoch retired from his position in the fuel sales department of Imperial Esso Oil. He had spent 35 years with the association. Taking over his position was his son, Charlie, who had been training alongside him for nine years.
• The Windsor Board of Trade was taking steps to see an agricultural museum located in Windsor. Robert Dimock, the president of the board, said it was logical for the Nova Scotia museum to be located where the continuously running oldest agricultural fair in Canada was located.
• Four Canadian-owned Ayrshire cows qualified for special production certificates in recognition of high lifetime production achievements. One of those cows was owned by J.E. Greenough, of Newport. Brixham Blossom received a Gold Seal Certificate, meaning she produced more than 100,000 pounds of milk.
• The Falmouth Water System was finally approved by all levels of government.
• Percy Hood, a Sunday school superintendent for 31 years, was honoured at the Windsor United Church for his dedication.
• The Windsor Royals called on the Maritime Amateur Hockey Association to conduct an investigation into the eligibility of a player on the Port Hawkesbury Strait Pirates.
• The Imperial Theatre in Windsor was showing a wide variety of movies, everything from Frankenstein Created Woman, starring Peter Cushing, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which had an all-star cast, sci-fi oddity Wild Wild Planet, starring Tony Russell, Lisa Gaston and Franco Nero, and To Sir With Love, starring Sidney Poitier.
• In the Hants History column dating back to 1943, the Hantsport Baptist Church purchased the residence of Gordon Churchill with plans of using it as a parsonage. Also in Hantsport, there was a “disastrous fire” in the shipyards.
The Acadian steamer, which had been lost in a February gale, was located five miles east of Flat Island, Palcentia Bay.
The home of Lawrence Caldwell was struck by lightning.
In wartime news from 1943, gunner Stan Hergett was sent to the military hospital in Halifax with an undisclosed injury. Private Orrin Rourke was killed while on duty in England. Three Merchant Marines were listed as being killed in action overseas since the start of the war. They were Claude E. Ettinger, of Noel, Reginald Bennett, of Newport, and Lewis Mattatall, of Newport Station.
In odd news from 1918, a member of the Hants Journal’s composing staff had their nose pierced by a lady’s hatpin while exiting the Imperial Theatre.
In wartime news from 1918, 17-year-old Charles Henry was returned home from overseas duty once his age was discovered. He died at the Cogswell Street Military Hospital. He had enlisted in the 112th Battalion. Sapper Lemuel Day, of Windsor, died from wounds. Private Aubrey Murphy, 25, of East Gore was also reported dead.