HKVCA President - Derrill Henderson
I was always told that as one grew older life slowed down and one could take all the time he wanted to do things quietly and in whatever fashion he wanted. What a bunch of garbage! The ongoing enhancements to the Memorial Wall occupy quite a bit of my time as I serve as Carol’s “agent in Ottawa”. The winter always has an increase of questions from the vets and widows, which must be researched and answered. I so enjoy the opportunity to speak with them that I probably spend more time than necessary to resolve their issue but hey, they’re worth it. On top of this, due to illness, I have been spending more time with church duties and my dear wife decided that after 30 years, it was time to update the kitchen.
I really got into speaking with High School teens in a big way, and find that contrary to my first impressions of how this would be; it is a surprising pleasant experience. These young people have really developed an interest in the life experience of the older generation. Naturally this involved WWII since it was the major event in the lives of this group of seniors, but the questions posed often related to the individual and how he or she coped. I must congratulate the Ontario region (again) for their foresight in putting the material of the Battle of Hong Kong into such a concise and interesting fashion that grabs the interest of teenagers. Pat Turcotte, as the primary on this project, really deserves our thanks.
To promote this, Ian Doull, my daughter Gail, and I attended a Teacher’s Professional Development Day. There were not many breaks for the teachers to visit the displays, but we were kept busy, and several people mentioned our material was just what they were seeking. I was surprised that most knew that Canadians had fought in Hong Kong, even though most had no knowledge of details that we provided!
In the schools in my immediate area, the history teachers have already held one or two classes on the Hong Kong battle using the material off our web site. In only one instance was I asked to present this material. Primarily I come in to answer the questions that arose out of the material. Questions such as: is it true that....?; how did the families cope without a father?; was your father changed when he came home?; what is it like to be a POW (obviously I can only answer what was relayed to me by our vets)?
I guess I must be engaging for the requests to visit schools are increasing and one high school has incorporated my visit into the course, so I am scheduled to talk every semester. I really look forward to these opportunities.
I have taken enough space so I shall close with this reminder. This is a Convention year and “La Belle Province” will be opening her arms this August to take us in. Granby is located at the entrance to the Eastern Townships, a most picturesque area of our great country. I hope to see you all there.
Email: Derrill Henderson