Ontario Community Newspapers

Whitby Free Press, 15 Aug 1984, p. 4

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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1984, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby r u] Voice of County Town Michael Ian Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor The only Whitby newspaper Independently owned and oeerated v hu ia faim.... ..._ il--- , abluhed evory Wednosday By M.B.M. PUBLISHING and Photography Inc. Phone 668-111 The Free Press Building, 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. Camp X lesson should never be forgotten Cmrn a reinder of the price of.libertv MICHAEL J. KNELL Communlty Editor Secomad CIamu Mail RegIstrallo. No. 5351 "They shailnat graw Qid, as we that are left graw od. Age shail not whlther them nor the years condemn. At the going dowh of the sun, and in the morning, we shall remember them." Those lines were used last Thursday by Col. Thomas Lawson of the Royal Canadian Regiment as a salute to the brave men and women who trained at Camp X and then parachuted behind enemy Unes never again to see their homes or their loved ones. These people paid the supreme sacrifice in the cause of Iberty. Yet those that were with them and survived have gone without public recognition or honor. That was until last Thursday when about 500 people gathered on the grounds of Camp X on Whitby's shoreline to remember If only for a few hours what It was like to fight the secret war against Nazi Germany. In this newspaper's opinion, the erection of the cairn wastabout 35 years too late, however, all that really matters is that the men and women who fought the war from what was then a lonely,« isolated part of southern Ontario will be remem- bered for generations to come. Thas cairn wll serve as yet another reminder that freedom comes at a terrible price. And that price far too otten demands the lives of our sons and daughters and our fathers and mothers. ThAmas Jefferson, the man who wrote the American Deciaration of Independance once said: "Frm time to time, the tree of ilberty must be replenlshed with the blood of patriots." What we did iast Thursday was pay honor to the memory of patriots. It is difficult to remember during the 1980's whenwe al live, however comfortably or uncom- fortabiy, with the thought of nuclear destruction to remember that twice during this century soldiers bath in and out of uniform have been calied upon to fight a war because other nations and powers conspired to take our freedom away from us. During his address, Col. Lawson said that the modern faces the same danger from the Soviet Union as our fathers did from.Nazi Germany. What he strove, we b ,eve, to remind ail citizens of this country was that while we must negotiate with the Soviets to prevent war, we must never lose sight of the principles for which over 110,000 Canadians died for during the last worid war. The cairn to Camp X is probably the only major public memorial to the men and women who fought a war most of us thought only existed in the movies. But it can only be a token of our ap- preciation and affection. No honor we can gîve these people, both the dead and the living, will ever be truly enough. . "At the going down of the sun, and in the mor- ning, we shall remember them" Thanks Anne and Glenn you'vemade us all proud The most loved person in the Town of Whitby today Is Anne Ottenbrite. Wlth those three gleaming Olympic medals she has given this community a sense of pride that is has rarely felt befgre. While Whitby claims her as their own, we should -fnot forget that the person primarily responsible for her achievements is Anne'herself. She has proven herseif an inspiration not only to the children and young people of Whitby but to Canada as well. During her welcome home Monday, it was the children who wanted to touch her, see her the most. They gave her a welcome that is probably reserved only for their favorite rock or television star. Anne proved to these people that at a young age they can make a meaningful contribution to the community and the country in which they live. She showed them through her actions that dedication and hard work brings the stuff that dreams are made of. To be an Olympic champion is something Anne will carry with her ail of her life and what's more than that, she will carry the love and affection of the people of Whitby for the rest of her life. While Anne has been getting most of the atten- tion because of her success, Whitby should not forget Glenn Beauchamp. While he did not bring home a medal from the Judo competition at the Los Angeles games, he, too is a winner in our mind. Just being selected for the Canadian Olym- pic Team is a great honor and proves that you are among the best Canada has to offer. Both of these young people have given something to this community and in return, ail we can give them is our heartiest congratulations and our undying affection. Thank you, Anne and Glenn. Whitby loves you cboth. b m I S«oud Claie ma" Reglotratim No. USI 1 - -- ---- ---- -J- - "J vw 33-0-Y a cniucntu Tor wnlDy residents. JL _m(

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