It will be an honour this coming Sunday at 9:30 AM to attend the unveiling ceremony of the Firefighters Memorial Monument at the main Fire Hall on Enterprise Way during ceremonies to observe the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks in New York.
It also gives us an opportunity to acknowledge all the first responders in our community, including our police and paramedics, who put their lives on the line to protect us every day.
I’m sure many of us will also be sharing stories of our memories of September 11, 2001.
That morning, like many of you, I was at home getting ready for work - a meeting at City Hall.
It took me a few minutes to fully comprehend what I was hearing on the radio. What I saw on the TV made me numb. I just couldn't understand why or who would mastermind such an event.
Then my phone rang. It was a constituent who was upset because they received a parking ticket the day before from a city bylaw officer and wanted to discuss the issue.
In the moment it seemed so trivial but it was a reminder that despite the magnitude of the events that day, life was already moving on and the everyday challenges we face would once again occupy our thoughts and help bring back a sense of normalcy.
Still, I doubt few if any of us recall the events of September 11, 2001 without thinking of the men and women who put their lives on the line that day to carry out their duty under impossible circumstances.
What we saw then and as we experienced in 2003 when the Okanagan Mountain Park fires threatened our community, their courage, compassion and determination during times of crisis helps us to find our strength and resiliency when our community faces adversity. Thank you to all of you for continuing to live by your motto of “Tradition of Service”.
A Couple of Reminders
As the cooler weather approaches the condition of your furnace and the energy efficiency of your home may be on your minds.
I just wanted to remind people that the federal government extended the popular ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program from June 6, 2011, to March 31, 2012 to help homeowners make their homes more energy-efficient and reduce the burden of high energy costs.
If you are thinking of taking advantage of the rebates available for energy efficient upgrades, you should register as soon as possible at the following address and follow the requirements to qualify for your energy rebate: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/retrofit-qualify-grant.cfm or call 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232).
Last but not least, don’t forget that this year’s Okanagan Volunteer Opportunities Fair will be held on Saturday, September 10th, 10 am to 3 pm, at the Parkinson Recreation Centre, 1800 Parkinson Way. It’s a geat way to get involved in the community and to give back.
If you need more information please go to www.kcr.ca or contact Dawn Wilkinson, Coordinator Community Information & Volunteer Centre Kelowna Community Resources at 250.763.8008 ext. 24 or at [email protected].
Hope to see you there.
As always, if you have any questions or comments on matters relating to the federal government, don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected] . If you wish to meet in person, please call my office and arrange a meeting with Linda at 470-5075.
Ron Cannan is the Member of Parliament for Kelowna-Lake Country
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.