Clinton News Record, 2016-05-11, Page 9Contributed photos
Matthew Dinning was just 23 -years -old when he was killed while on duty in
Afghanistan in 2006. His mother, Laurie said she thinks the monument will help
the younger generation remember our veterans.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016 • News Record 9
Afghanistan Community Monument
is a chance to educate and remember
Laura Broadley
Goderich Signal Star
The Huron County Afghanistan
Community Monument will be a
way for residents of the county to
remember those who have fought
for our freedom.
The monument is a demilita-
rized Light Armoured Vehicle that
will sit on the property of the
Huron County Museum. The mon-
ument is a tribute to the 40,000
men and women who served in
Afghanistan between 2001 and
2014, and it will be dedicated to the
158 fallen Canadian soldiers.
One of those soldiers is Wing -
ham's Corporal Matthew Dinning.
He was killed in action on April 22,
2006 at Gumbad, Afghanistan
when he was 23 -years -old.
The site at the museum is a good
spot because it's already connected
with the history of the area. The
museum is already a spot people
come to learn, and the monument
will just add to that experience,
said Matthew's mother, Laurie.
"I think it's going to be a great
tool for future generations," she
added.
Funding to our health care
system will increase
by over $1 billion this year.
onta rio.ca/betterca re
It's especially important for
young people to learn about war
and sacrifice in a different way and
because of the local connection
they are able to do that.
When she was growing up, Lau-
rie said the World War Two veter-
ans would come to Remembrance
Day ceremonies, the children saw
them and were able to connect war
with people they knew.
"It's another teaching tool that,
hopefully, the schools and parents
will take advantage of," Laurie said.
When Laurie and her family
found out the Goderich Legion
Branch 109 was spearheading an
application to get the monument to
Huron County, they were immedi-
ately supportive of the idea. They
knew it was going to be a lot of
work for everyone, especially com-
mittee co-chairs Deb Shewfelt and
Paul Thorne.
Laurie said the Goderich Legion
has always been supportive of her
family over the last 10 years.
"As a parent you always want,
and hope that people will always
remember your child," Laurie
said.
"In our case we are very blessed
to have people like Paul and his
committee that are willing to
work hard to do that."
It's essential for students to
understand how fortunate they
are the have the opportunities
and privileges afforded to them,
and the monument could help
with that. Going to school, espe-
cially for girls, is something that
much of the world doesn't offer.
Laurie said even before Mat-
thew was posted he was excited
about the opportunity to help
young girls get an education, by
doing things like making sure
they were safe going to and from
school.
"Things that our kids would
never, ever think about," Laurie
said.
Another way the community is
helping keep Matthew's, and all
of the fallen Canadian soldiers'
memories alive will be happening
in Blyth this summer.
The Blyth Festival approached
the Dinnings a couple of years
ago with the idea of putting on a
play inspired by their story.
CONTINED > PAGE 10
Investing in new and better ways for all
Ontarians to get the care they need means:
• 700 new doctors and specialists
• 35 hospitals currently being
renewed, modernized or expanded
• $250 million invested in home and
community care
• $345 million invested to improve wait
times and access to care
These investments ensure a strong health
care system for both today and tomorrow.
Paid for by the Government of Ontario
�r Ontario