Amazing Grace For Our Heroes In Life, Not Death #HeroesInLife
Amazing Grace for our Heroes In Life, Not Death #HeroesInLife
Posted by Ontario Police Memorial Foundation on Sunday, May 3, 2020
May 3, 2020 (Click here for official news release)
Each year in May we gather at the Memorial Wall of Honour at Queen’s Park for the Ceremony of Remembrance to honour not only our fallen officers, but also to recognize their family members. It is never lost on us, the incredible life changing sacrifice that they, the survivors, endure every day. It is imperative to keep the memories of their loved ones alive and to ensure that every fallen officer from our Ontario policing family, is never forgotten.
This year we find ourselves in unprecedented times with the onset of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. These times highlight the dangers that our job entails. With this pandemic come new risks to our front line police creating new challenges in an already dangerous job. The pandemic safety directives have required that we cancel our public Ceremony of Remembrance event, however, let us not forget.
To date, the names of 267 Police Officers have been enshrined on the Ontario Police Memorial Wall of Honour. The memorial was inaugurated in the year 2000 to honour fallen police officers and stand as a tribute to the bravery and loyalty of those who serve in Ontario’s policing community and to silently honour those officers who sacrificed their lives in their desire to make a difference in the pursuit of justice.
Today and everyday throughout the year we remember and honour those brave men and women who have died in the line of duty. We stand together to express our respect, our gratitude and our utmost appreciation to the families of those officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. You will never be forgotten. Our “HEROES in Life, Not Death.”
Please join me wherever this message finds you at 11am May 3rd, by taking a moment of silence to reflect and remember all of our brothers and sisters from police services close to home and across Canada, who dedicate their lives to serve and protect their communities and to honour those officers who have died in the line of duty. We are so gravely reminded of this with what has just taken place in Nova Scotia and our fallen sister, RCMP Officer Heidi Stevenson, mother, daughter, hero. We stand together to express our respect, our gratitude and our utmost appreciation to her family and the families of all of the officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
To learn about how to participate in or view our virtual Amazing Grace social media campaign and watch the pipers live or anytime later please visit our website link CeremonyOfRemembrance.ca/AmazingGrace
Thank you,
Mike Adair, President
Ontario Police Memorial Foundation
Quick Link References:
Blog Post With Instructions For Virtual Ceremony of Remembrance
Facebook Event “Amazing Grace Virtually For Ontario Police Memorial 2020”
Tweet to invite people to join in the virtual Ceremony of Remembrance
Instagram post to invite people to join in the virtual Ceremony of Remembrance
Donate online to the Ontario Police Memorial Foundation
Editor’s Note:
A number of videos were filmed leading up to the 2020 Ontario Police Memorial Foundation Ceremony of Remembrance, originally to encourage the maximum attendance at the event. After the cancellation due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic, these videos are now being released on the day of the scheduled 2020 Ceremony of Remembrance for all to watch on our virtual Ceremony of Remembrance. We hope to film more videos in the future. If you are a surviving loved one of an officer who died in the line of duty or a member of a police service who wish to film a video please contact us.
Mike Adair President Ontario Police Memorial Foundation 2020
Tyrone Hilton-Officer Commanding Toronto Police Chief’s Ceremonial Unit
Brenda Orr, Widow of Provincial Constable David Mounsey
Nancy MacDonald, Widow of Sudbury Regional Police Constable Joey MacDonald
Colleen Eve, Daughter of Provincial Sergeant Margaret Eve
Erin Ochakovsky, Widow of Peel Regional Police Constable James Ochakovsky
Barbara Irwin, Widow of Toronto Police Detective Michael Irwin
