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St. Dominic's remembers fallen Oakville hero By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Over a number of recent years, St. Dominic Catholic School students have done a great deal to recognize Canadian military heroes. Friday morning, it was no wonder to see the St. Dominic gymnasium packed with students, parents, dignitaries, military persons and Royal Canadian Legion members -- as well as the widow and children of the late Oakville soldier, Col. Geoff Parker, who died in Afghanistan in May 2010. "We honour the courage and devotion of those who gave their lives so that we may enjoy the many freedoms we have in Canada, such as the freedom to worship God, the freedom to vote, and the freedom to speak out in times of injustice," said Ben Pace, who co-emceed the event with schoolmate Taylor Savery. During the school's Remembrance Day ceremony, students sang for peace, recited In Flanders Fields, heard prayers, recounted the stories of fallen soldiers and then presented M.J. Parker and her two children, Alexandria and Charlie, with posters made in tribute to her husband and their father. M.J. thanked the students and said she and her children were honoured to be part of the ceremony. "My thanks goes to vets who fought for my freedom, for our country and I thank this generation who remember the vets of today," she 3 · Wednesday, November 14, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog tribute to fallen hero: St. Dominic School honoured the late Col. Geoff Parker, an Oakville native killed in Afghanistan in its Remembrance Day ceremony. Here, the colonel's family, (front row, from left) Charlie Parker, 14, M.J. Parker and Alexandria Parker, 12, receive posters made by (back row, left to right) Nick Naccarato, 12, Alex Bagh, 12, and E.J. Rerri, 12, during the ceremony. can look back at them and remember how thankful and truly honoured we are to be celebrating with you today." Oakville-born and raised Geoff Parker was told the students. "All the posters, all the cards, the letters from last year, I have saved in a special box for my children, Charlie and Alex, so that some day they killed in Kabul, Aghanistan when a suicide car bomber struck the convoy in which the colonel was travelling. His story was among several others read out at the assembly by three students from teacher John MacPhail's Grade 7 class. "While researching, I found out Col. Geoff Parker was very helpful and was a leader. He was described as having potential and as a rising star," said Nick Naccarato. The student added that Parker placed his life on the line because of his love for his friends, family and his country. "Without people like Col. Geoff Parker, who knows what Canada and other countries would be like today," said Alex Bagh. "Col. Parker showed human dignity by standing up for and respecting Afghanistan people and their rights," said E.J. Rerri. "He did not have to go. He is an example of how to help out the community and how to make good decisions. That's exactly why our school built a memorial for Canadian veterans called Bronte Veterans' Garden." Over the course of the last five years or so, MacPhail's Grade 7s have made posters and wrote letters and sent them to the families of fallen Canadian soldiers. In 2007, MacPhail won the Governor General's award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History. In June 2011, St. Dominic students and the Town of Oakville unveiled the Veterans' Garden at Donovan Bailey Park along Bronte Road. The See St. Dominic's page 9 NOW TO TRAIN DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY TRAINING TO OAKVILLE FOR OVER 25 YEARS... ALL DOMINION DRIVER TRAINING AND TRAFFIC EDUCATION CENTRES LIMITED WE WANT YOU! SIX MISTAKES RETIREES MAKE WITH THEIR FINANCES November 24, 25 · Saturday and Sunday 9:30am to 3:30pm December 22,23,27,28, Sat, Sun Thurs, Fri 9:30am to 3:30pm DriveWise goes beyond basic driver training with our 3 step approach: 1. Dynamic & fun classroom teaching with hand held technology 2. Simulator drive training labs. 3. One-or-One in vehicle training SEMINAR DATE For investors over age 50 Thurs, November 15th: 10 am, 2 pm, 7 pm Fri, November 16th: 10am LOCATION Oliver & Bonacini Restaurant Oakville Place (Trafalgar & QEW) get registered. get trained. get driving. 905.845.7200 www.drivewiseoakville.com MBA, CFP, R.F.P., CIM, FCSI Peter Watson Seats are FREE but Limited To reserve your seats email us at info@peterwatsoninvestments.com or call us at (905) 842-2100 Ext: 2 (24 hours) www.peterwatsoninvestments.com