Clinton News Record, 2016-04-20, Page 1010 News Record • Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Honouring the veterans of the Liberation of the Netherlands
Valerie Gillies
Clinton News Record
Jim Rutledge and Sid Bruin-
sma are each on a mission of
remembrance that has
brought them together to try
to make some magic happen.
The magic is to have a worthy
commemoration
and celebrations of the Dutch -
Canadians who participated
in the liberation of the Nether-
lands in 1945, during WWII
and the strong bond between
the nations. The celebration
Rutledge and Bruinsma is
planning will take place as
part of a celebration of Cana-
da's 150th birthday in Goder-
Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance
IACommunityForums
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Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance Holding Community Forums to
Help Guide Strategic Planning
The Board of Directors of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) is
pleased to announce that the HPHA will be hosting a series of
community forums for residents to provide input into the organization's
strategic planning process.
"It is important that our strategic planning process is open and inclusive,"
stated Mary Atkinson, Chair of the Board of Directors. "We are seeking
input from our community members to help create a shared vision on
how we will continue to provide high quality care while improving the
experience of our patients, their families and our healthcare team."
The new strategic plan will provide a roadmap for HPHA's four hospital
sites through the year 2020 and include strategies to build upon a
number of significant changes that are occurring at the healthcare
system level.
Any resident with an interest in the future growth and development of the
HPHA is welcome to attend.
Community Forum Dates & Locations
Please note all forums will take place from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Clinton Public Hospital — Conference Room, 2nd Floor
Monday, May 2, 2016
Seaforth Community Hospital — Conference Room, Lower Level
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
St. Marys Memorial Hospital — Meeting Room #2, Lower Level
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Stratford General Hospital — Education Rooms A&B, East Building, 1st Floor
Interested residents are asked to RSVP at least 48 hours in advance at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/hphaforums, by visiting www.hpha.ca
or by calling 1-888-275-1102 Extension 2435.
ich in May of 2017.
Rutledge has been a histo-
rian and author since 2005. His
interest stemmed from the
remembrance celebration held
in Goderich that year, the Year
of the Veteran. There were 470
veterans in attendance and it
was one of the largest in Can-
ada. Rutledge visited the library
and museum to see if there was
anything to tell the story of
World War Two (WWII) veter-
ans of Huron County, but found
nothing. To show respect for
those veterans, Rutledge did the
in-depth research required and
authored his book "The Men of
Huron" which was published in
2009. With the help of his
research assistant, Jeanette Elli-
ott, he is nowworking to do the
same for the veterans of W WI
and has begun working on
"The Heroes of Huron County''
Each of these books is intended
to let people know, not just of
the sacrifices these men gave,
but to get to know more what
they were like as individuals in
their home lives.
Sid Bruinsma relates that
there are a lot of Dutch people
who have emigrated to Huron
County, many of whom have
settled in the Goderich and
Clinton area. He is proud that
Liberation Park in Goderich
was created and that the foun-
tain and pavilion have been
erected to commemorate the
veterans in 2005. Bruinsma
has been to Holland during
remembrance celebrations
and has experienced the love
and respect that the Dutch
people have for all Canadians.
A plaque has been erected in
Holland in honour of their
Canadian liberators as the
Germans surrendered to the
Canadians on May 5, 1945.
Bruinsma has taken a photo
of that plaque.
Bruinsma discovered Rut -
ledge's book and the two
now have a shared goal to
honour the Dutch -Canadi-
ans in a celebration of the
close ties built between the
two nations due to the Liber-
ation. They are calling their
project "Remember as One':
In May 2017, the plan is to
have the Remember as One
celebration in Goderich to
finally give honour and
respect in Canada to these
veterans, as has been done
in Holland for so many
years. Their goal is to teach
Canadians of this legacy.
CONTINUED > PAGE 11
Sid Bruinsma (left) has partnered with historian and author
Jim Rutledge (right) to organize a remembrance celebration in
Goderich in 2017 to recognize the strong bond between the Dutch
and Canadians through the Liberation of the Netherlands in 1945.
Bruinsma and Rutledge made a presentation to Central Huron
Council during their regular meeting on April 4.
PA.RK THEATRE
GODERICII sag 524 7811.
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