by Sylene Argent
On Friday evening, members of the Erie Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star invited community members to enjoy a pasta dinner and buy homemade pastries in support of the Wounded Warriors Canada organization. The event was hosted at the Essex Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 201).
Adrice Grenon, Worthy Matron of the local club, explained the Organization’s province-wide Grand Matron decided to selected Wounded Warriors as her term-support project. In her one-year term, Grand Matron Brenda Hooper was able to raise around $70,000 for the Wounded Warrior campaign, which has a mission to honour and support Canada’s ill and injured Armed Forces members, veterans, first responders, and their families.
Grenon noted that help extends beyond supporting service men and women who have been injured physically, and includes help with mental health, such as assistance for those coping with PTSD.
It was fitting to host the pasta dinner in support of Wounded Warriors Canada at the Essex Legion as that organization is continuously trying to support veterans. Grenon was impressed with the support and assistance the Essex Legion provided in support of the event.
Grenon and Worthy Patron Les Spence organized the event.
To ensure as much money could be raised as possible, Grenon noted she was grateful the food was donated by a variety of supporters.
Though Grenon grew up in a military home, as her father served in the Air Force, and knew of the work a cousin was doing to support veterans in Windsor, through Hooper’s project of supporting Wounded Warriors Canada, she learned about the need for assistance some veterans need while coping through PTSD.
Hooper, who lives in LaSalle, participated in Friday night’s pasta dinner. She said she selected Wounded Warriors Canada as her term-support projects because, “I don’t think veterans get enough care. This program cares for their needs.”
She noted all the money she was able to raise during her one-year term will stay in Ontario by supporting a camp in Uxbridge, which offers therapy through the use of horses.
“It has a great success rate,” she said.
Individuals are still forwarding money to Wounded Warriors Canada, through her project. She was proud to not only raise funds for the organization, but to also raise awareness about the needs of veterans and service men and women.
Hooper plans to continue raising funds for Wounded Warriors Canada beyond her one-term as Grand Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star for Ontario.
For more information about Wounded Warriors Canada, log onto woundedwarriors.ca.
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