HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2015-04-08, Page 22 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Wendy Stewart of Gorrie (originally from Kitchener) signs the
names of her family members who have served and are serving
on the tail of the Canadian Heroes Kite at the Lucknow Legion
Branch309 on March 28, 2015. Her father served in WWI, husband
Ray was in the Reserves and her grandson went to Afghanistan.
Canadian Heroes Kite
Valerie Gillies/Lucknow Sentinel
Lucy Jonkman and Kerry St. Dennis created the Canadian Heroes Kite. The kite was brought to the Lucknow Legion Branch 309 with
the opportunity for people to sign the tail and the banner. Jessica (daughter), Lucy Jonkman and Kerry St. Dennis are pictured in front
of the kite body. March 28, 2015.
Veteran autographs added to the Canadian Heroes Kite at Lucknow Legion
Branch 309
attracts kites
and those who love
them
Valerie Gillies
Lucknow Sentinel
Husband and wife Kerry
St. Dennis and Lucy Jonk-
man lost a friend, Officer
Jen Kovach when she
passed away responding to
a bus crash in Guelph. At
her commemoration ser-
vice, Jonkman was
impressed by the Canadian
flag that was draped across
the ladders of two firetrucks,
forming an arch for the pro-
cessional to pass through.
She discovered that it had
been created by a group
called Canadian Heroes
who provide flags specifi-
cally for commemoration
services of fallen veterans
and first responders.
Being an avid kite maker,
Jonkman looked up the web-
site for Canadian Heroes and
asked permission to create
the Canadian Heroes Kite to
commemorate veterans and
first responders where ever
they fly it. She received per-
mission then designed and
made a 300 square foot full
form kite. It took approxi-
mately a year from the strart
of the planning to having the
finished kite.
Everything in the kite is
cut from rip -stop nylon that
is then appliqued together to
form the kite. When the kite
is in flight, the 100 foot tail
proudly carries the names of
veterans, both living and
those who have given their
lives. The line banner is
attached to the kite string
and bears the names of First
Responders who have died
in service.
The Canadian Heroes Kite
is flown at various events
and festivals throughout
Ontario and in Quebec.
Jonkman and St. Dennis will
travel to Royal Canadian
Legions if the Branches wish
to display the kite and to get
autographs added. Their
daughter, Jessica often trav-
els with the kite and
exclaims, "I love it!"
The family is really proud
to have the kite in flight
to honour the
Canadian veterans and first
responders. Lucy Jonkman is
always thrilled to hear some-
one in the crowd sharing the
fact that their relative's name
is proudly flying high up in
the sky as part of the project.
Jonkman and St. Dennis
are also involved in giving
kite -making workshops.
Some of their proteges were
in attendance at the Luc -
know Legion showing their
own handiwork.
Matt Black of Ripley is a
hobby kite maker. He can
often be seen flying his kites
at festivals, at the Ripley soc-
cer fields and at Station
Beach in Kincardine. He
enjoys making inflatables,
also known as line laundry.
These are often in the form
of animals or fish made of
the same rip -stop nylon and
attach to the line of the kite,
much like a banner, but
made to fill with air as the
kite is in flight.
Murray Irvin of Lucknow
had his kites on display. He
stated that it was a great trib-
ute to the Lucknow Legion
building, which was origi-
nally a building from the air
base in Port Albert, to have
Jessica and Lucy Jonkman are assisted by kite enthusiast Matt Black of Ripley to hold up the
banner of the Canadian Heroes Kite at the Lucknow Legion Branch 309. This banner is attached
to the kite line for flight and is to honour First Responders who have lost their lives in service.
March 28, 2015.
the Canadian Heroes Kite on
display.
Joanne Van Dam, owner
of Lucknow Letters &
Logos, has joined the ranks
of kite enthusiasts. Her
hand -painted kite was on
display, as well. After see-
ing the Canadian Heroes
Kite, Van Dam has designed
the logo which features the
kite that is now painted on
the trailer the kite is trans-
ported in.
To see videos of the Cana-
dian Heroes Kite in flight, go
to www.canadianheroes.
com. If you wish to contact
Lucy Jonkman, you can
email her at lucy@wind-
climbers.ca