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w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER Fr id ay , D ec em be r 1 0, 2 01 0 4 when my mom read about it and, just trying to make me aware of the significance and magnitude of what had happened, said it was kind of like there being 10 classrooms at my school where each person had someone die right before Christmas time. Thats what it would be like for that army base. Struck by those words, Nikkel asked her mother if Canada was doing anything to commemorate these soldiers, who died on Canadian soil after dedicating months of their lives to the cause of global peace and security. When her mother said she did- nt know, Nikkel decided to do something herself. In our family we have a tradition of planting trees in honour of people who have died, said Nikkel. I wrote the Toronto Star and I said, I would like to donate my babysitting money to plant some trees that can be a living memorial for these soldiers. Nikkel had no idea what the result of writing this letter would be, but found out very quickly when Global TV came to her home to interview her about her idea on Christmas Day. Reporters from several newspapers and CBC Radio also interviewed Nikkel with the story soon going international. Our neighbours had been in Mexico over Christmas and they brought home an article from a Mexican paper about this little girl in Oakville, said Nikkel. It had just spread like wildfire. It was kind of surreal because I thought, Who am I? All I did was write a letter and all of a sudden it was snowballing. Nikkels idea began take shape when Sheridan Nurseries President Howard Stensson offered to donate 256 Canadian Sugar Maple Trees to remember the 248 soldiers and eight flight crew members killed. The idea further materialized when Re-Tree International President Frank Lockyear heard about Nikkel on the radio in Oregon and decided to help her by co-ordinating the planting of Stenssons trees with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where the fallen soldiers had been based. Through his efforts, an acre of land at the centre of the base was secured for the tree planting, which Nikkel attended in September of 1986. Nikkel said when she arrived at Fort Campbell she was treated like the Queen of Canada with the 101st Airborne making her an honourary member, allowing her to pilot a cobra helicopter simulator and with the Girls letter inspired others Janice Nikkel circa 1986 Continued from page 1 See Emotional page 5 Perfect Christmas Giftst Ch mas for Your Golf-A-Holic TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU O THIS CHRISTMAS! Come See Us At MAPLEVIEW MALL on the Upper Level or come visit our PRO SHOP at the Golf Course No. 1 Sideroad & Cedar Springs Rd. GREEN FEE PASSES Make A Perfect Christmas Gift !GREEN FEE ES A t Ch mas t 905-336-3660