Delta Leader August 2011

the delta leader august 2011 ❙ B1THE DELTA LEADER AUGUST 2011 ❙ B1

REV. RECALLS SERVICE P3 •••• WHERE YOU WERE ON 9/11 P6 •••• DPD RECOLLECTIONS P7

Philip Raphael, EditorSouth Delta Leader

It was on a steep stretch heading eastward through the B.C. section of the Rockies when Guy Morrall’s Harley-Davidson started to run out of breath in the thinning air.

While that slowed him down—much to his chagrin because he had to be in New York City in about 10 days time—it allowed him to notice something quite profound.

He saw the vehicle ahead with U.S. li-cence plates had a small, homemade card-

board sign pressed up against the rear win-dow by two small fi gures—a pair of young grade school-aged girls.

The sign’s simple script matched the ages of its authors, but the message was nonethe-less effective.

“The sign said, ‘Thank you for riding for us. We love you.’ Just those two faces in the back of the car. I can see them now as plain as then.”

The recollection from nine years ago still brings a few tears to Morrall’s eyes.

It’s indicative of the emotion the former Ladner resident feels each year as he takes part in the 9.11 Memorial Ride to the Peace Arch in South Surrey, an event he started in 2003, the year after he made a cross-conti-nent motorcycle trek from Ladner to New York City to commemorate the fi rst anni-

versary of the attacks that felled the World Trade Center towers and other buildings.

While he now lives on Vancouver Island, Morrall keeps in close contact to help orga-nize the annual event which draws hundreds of riders from across the region.

“When I see it, (people gathering for the ride) I think it’s something we have to re-member,” he says. “It’s one way we can pay respect and honour those who lost their lives.”

Morrall says the motivation to make the cross-continent ride to New York City in 2002 came from the fact that a good por-tion of his family and many friends live in the U.S. Plus, a visit to B.C. by some fellow motorcycle enthusiasts from Arizona who arrived on Sept. 10, 2001, a day before the attacks, sealed his commitment.

He woke his guests early on that fateful Sept. 11 morning to tell them something was going on in New York City they had to come see on TV.

“They were pretty emotional, trying to get through to their wives on the cell phones,” Morrall says. “Here were two grown men who had seen military service getting visibly upset.

“The following months we saw all of the news about what happened on Sept. 11, and being in emergency services (Coast Guard Auxiliary) I wanted to do something,” he says. “But there were so many people going there and that’s one of the biggest problems when there is an emergency. People who go to help out, they end up needing to be cared

PICTURED Former Ladner resident Guy Morrall (centre), Canada Border Services Agency detector dog handler Kendy Michaloski (left), dog Timber, and BC Ambulance Service S10 district supervisor Terry Raappana at the Peace Arch crossing. Boaz Joseph photo

Brought to you by

ISSUE 16 VOL 2 AUGUSTISSUE 16 VOL 2 AU

board sign pressed up against the rear win- versary of the attacks that felled

Ride toRememberAnnual event to recall 10th anniversary of Sept. 11

— Continued on p.4

(To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedies, stories in this edition of the Delta Leader are dedicat-ed to the Deltans whose lives were affected by the events of that day—Editor)

Submit your entry form and photo between August 1st and September 12th for Mayor Jackson’s 3rd annual garden contest for kids (ages 5-16). Visit www.corp.delta.bc.ca/gardencontest for more information.

Garden Contest for Kids

“As another school year begins, the Delta School Board is excited to continue supporting learning within Delta. Year after year, we see our students thrive, and their achievements are a tribute to the passion and commitment of our entire school district and community. It is an honour to be a part of the educational environment in Delta and we look forward to another successful year.”

-Dale Saip, Chair, Delta School Board

Delta School District“On behalf of the Delta School District, I hope all of

our staff, students, and families have had an amazing summer full of fun, relaxation, and rejuvenation. With school just around the corner, I am excited for excellent teaching and learning to resume within all of our schools. We enter this coming year with a new Big Bold Vision for our district and are enthusiastic to share this vision with our entire community. Welcome back! I am excited for another fantastic year of innovative teaching and inspired learning in Delta.”

-Dianne Turner, Superintendent, Delta School District

B2 ❙ august 2011 the delta leader

Message from Mayor Lois E. Jackson and Delta Council

Remembering 9/11September 11, 2001 was a shocking, tragic day for the United States and the rest of the world that forever changed the course of history.

We honour those fi rst responders who so bravely sacrifi ced their lives for the safety and well-being of others and we remember all the innocent victims who tragically lost their lives that day.

Public safety and emergency preparedness remains a top priority for Delta. Since 9/11, Mayor Lois E. Jackson and Delta Council have worked with our emergency personnel and Delta Fire and Police departments to improve many areas of public safety and emergency preparedness including comprehensive disaster planning and inter-operability between fi rst responder services. The emergency plan has served Delta well during subsequent major events.

Delta is fortunate to have dedicated emergency personnel who are ready on a moment’s notice to do everything required to keep our community as safe as possible.

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We want to hear from youPlease forward any questions or comments to Mayor Lois E. Jackson by email at [email protected], telephone (604) 946-3210 or mail to: The Corporation of Delta, 4500 Clarence Taylor Crescent, Delta, BC V4K 3E2 www.corp.delta.bc.ca

Upcoming Eventswww.corp.delta.bc.ca/events

10th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Ride

September 11, 2011

6:00 am > Breakfast hosted at River Rock Casino: 8811 River

Road, Richmond, BC

7:00 am > Vancouver Police Motorcycle Drill Team will marshal at

the River Rock Casino

8:00 am > Depart for the Peace Arch Canada Border Crossing

9:00 am > Memorial Service and Gathering at Peace Arch Park

The 10th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Ride and Remembrance Service

will honour the bravery and dedication of emergency personnel and

members of the public who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

Members of all emergency services will ride en masse to the Peace

Arch Border Crossing in tribute to all those who lost their lives in the

9/11 attacks.

Terry Fox Run

September 18, 2011

Come out and participate

in a non-competitive,

active and fun fi lled run

for the whole family. Join

thousands of people across

Canada who walk, run or

cycle to raise funds for

cancer research. To date,

over $300 million has been

raised in Terry’s name.

North Delta Terry Fox Run

Where: Sungod Recreation CentreWhen: Registration at 9:00 am; Run starts at 10:00 amFor more information call (604) 583-4167

South Delta Terry Fox RunWhere: Rotary Square at Tsawwassen Town Centre MallWhen: Registration at 8:30 am; Run starts at 10:00 amFor more information call (604) 943-7252

Front row: Cllr. Heather King, Mayor Lois E. Jackson, Cllr. Anne PetersonBack row: Cllrs Scott Hamilton, Ian Paton, Robert Campbell and Bruce McDonald


Copyright and property rights subsist in all display advertising and other material appearing in the South Delta Leader and Surrey North Delta Leader. If, in the Publisher's opinion, an error is made that materially affects the value of the ad to the advertiser, a corrected advertisement will be inserted upon demand without further charge. Make good insertions are not granted on minor errors which do not lessen the value of the advertisement. Notice of error is required before second insertion. Opinions expressed in columns and letters to the Editor are not necessarily shared by the Publisher. The South Delta Leader and Surrey North Delta Leader are members of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org.

behind the scenesEditorialPhilip RaphaelSouth Delta Leader, Editor604-948-3640 ext. 122 [email protected]

Paula Carlson Surrey North Delta Leader,Editor [email protected]

Christine LyonSouth Delta Leader, Reporter604-948-3640 ext. 126 [email protected]

PublishersChrissie BowkerSouth Delta Leader604 948-3640 ext. [email protected]

Jim MihalySurrey North Delta [email protected]

Creative ServicesSarah Kelloway South Delta Leader

SalesKarla PearsonSurrey North Delta Leader,

Sales [email protected]

Jane IlottSouth Delta Leader,Advertising Consultant 604-948-3640 ext. [email protected]

Collette SemeniukSouth Delta Leader,Advertising Consultant 604-948-3640 ext. [email protected]

CirculationLynley ShepherdSouth Delta Leader604-948-3640 ext. [email protected]

Marilou Pasion Surrey North Delta Leader604-575-5312 ext. [email protected]

Christine Lyon, reporterSouth Delta Leader

Not a day goes by that Maj. Rev. Jim Short doesn't think about the 19 young men who died during his military tour in Afghanistan.

The Lander United Church minister, who has a long history as a Canadian Army reservist, spent seven months in the war-torn country as a military chap-lain.

Now, as the world prepares to mark the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and Wash-ington, DC, which launched the war in Afghanistan and Canada's eventual involvement, Short looks back on a decade that changed him.

He moved to South Delta and started working at Ladner United Church in the summer of 2001, just weeks before the Twin Towers fell. Prior to that fateful day, he never thought his military work would be-come such a big part of his life.

During his time overseas in 2008, Short came to realize that a chaplain, regardless of faith, becomes a symbol of hope and meaning in war.

"As a chaplain, you're a con-nection to home. You're some-body that the soldier knows they can talk to confi dentially if they're having diffi culties."

He recalls one night when seven American soldiers were brought into the trauma hospi-tal in Kandahar in a mass casu-alty situation. Two others had died.

Short spent much of that night talking with the commanding offi cer as medical staff tended to the burns he had suffered.

"He said, 'Padre, can you tell me what's happened to my men?"

Short explained some sol-diers had arrived injured, but he couldn't say anything about the two deaths without offi cial confi rmation.

"I'm scared," the offi cer told

him.Short couldn't hold his hand

because of the burns, so he placed a hand on his head. As the offi cer slipped in and out of consciousness throughout the night he would say, "Padre, are you still there?" "Padre, don't leave me."

It's countless memories such as this that Short says demon-strate a need for hope in the midst of war.

Three years have passed since Short returned to Lad-ner and he is still troubled by nightmares and diffi cult memories. When he walks into a hospital here, he some-times has to sit down and take a deep breath to deal with the onslaught of memories of the Kandahar hospital.

This year marks a decade since 9/11, but for Short the anniversary is made more sig-nifi cant since 2011 also marks the end of Canada's combat mission in Afghanistan.

He is planning a special church sermon to commemo-rate the anniversary, with an emphasis on praying for peace and justice.

As he gazes around his offi ce at his collection of Afghan rugs, maps and photos of soldiers, he says his experience overseas did not challenge his faith in God, but strengthened it.

"There has to be something more to life than what we see, and there has to be another way to fi nd justice in the world," he said. [email protected]

A symbol of hope in war'There has to be another way to fi nd justice in the world'

PICTURED Maj. Rev. Jim Short of Ladner United Church holds his army helmet and two propeller blades fashioned into a cross—both mementos of his military tour in Afghanistan. Christine Lyon photo

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Maria DeVries

healingSeptember 11

everyone has felt the far-reaching effects of 9/11.

On this 10th Anniversary I remember as Organizer, on behalf of South Delta Baptist Church, Delta’s 9/11 Memorial Service on September 11, 2002. It was my privilege to coordinate this Memorial to allow the community of Delta to have the opportunity to thank and support our fire, police and first-responders by acknowledging publicly and honouring our own.

It was a powerful time of Healing and Reflection.H

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Dedicated To Delta

In remembrance to those who fell and to those who carry on across all cities and towns, across all generations.

May we never forget.

B4 ❙ august 2011 the delta leaderB4 ❙ AUGUST 2011 THE DELTA LEADER

for, as well. You can quickly become more of a burden than an as-set.”

So, he waited and left Ladner on Aug. 29, 2002 and arrived in New York City on Sept. 9.

Along the way he met countless people who wished him well. Some joined the ride.

In Winnipeg, an RCMP offi cer took Mor-rall aside, fearing for his safety riding at night and invited him and about 15 others to his cabin for the night.

“He said, ‘All I’ve got is whiskey and steak,’ So, we sat around, watched the Northern Lights and chatted about 9/11.”

When he arrived in New York City two days before the anniversary he was struck at the se-rene setting.

“I remember how quiet it was,” he says. “People weren’t sure what was going to hap-pen on the fi rst anniver-sary.”

But Morrall and other riders parked their bikes and joined the proces-sion two days later to

Ground Zero.“People could read

from the bike (licence plate) where I was from and they were so recep-tive that I would travel that far to remember their loss,” Morrall says.

When he returned to his bike it was covered with thank-you notes and carnations.

“After that, all I could think about was putting on a ride,” he says.

How has society changed since that fate-ful day?

“I think there’s too much emphasis on se-curity,” Morrall says, adding he’s a big sup-porter of personal rights and freedoms and be-lieves the events of Sept. 11 have allowed some to overstep the boundaries in the name of security.

“I think what we’re doing in response—(Osama) Bin Laden is probably laughing in his grave.”

This year, along with co-organizer Steve Wil-liams, a B.C. Ambu-lance paramedic, the 9.11 Memorial Ride will start from the parking

lot at the River Rock Ca-sino Resort in Richmond (8811 River Road).

Breakfast for the rid-ers will be served at 6 a.m. and the group de-parts at 8 a.m.

From there, the pro-cession will wind its way to Peace Arch Park

in South Surrey where there will be a gathering at 9 a.m. and moment of silence.

For more information about the 9/11 Memo-rial Ride, call 604-922-8176 or [email protected]

— Continued from p.1

PICTURED Guy Morrall said the streets of New York City on the first anniversary of 9/11 were eerily quiet. Leader file photo

Ride to NYC memorable

the delta leader january 2011 ❙ B1

THE DELTA LEADER JANUARY 2011 ❙ B1BEYOND MEASURE P3 ••••••• CRIMES DOWN P5 •••••••••• TRIPLE CHALLENGE P7

The Alzheimer Society of B.C.'s Walk for Memo-

ries for participants from Delta, Surrey, Langley and

White Rock takes place this Sunday (Jan. 30).

One in three Canadians knows someone with

Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, says

the society. Residents are invited to walk, donate and support

the Alzheimer Society of B.C. at the event hosted at

Eaglequest Golf at Coyote Creek (7778 152 St.), 1

to 2 p.m. (registration at 11:30 a.m.).

V is i t www.walkformemories.com or cal l

604-681-6530 for more details.

If you are in Grades 4 to 12 in Delta and have a

story to tell, a contest for young writers could help

you bring it to life.Called Water in Words, it's being organized by

Ladner author Laura Thomas, also known as Agent

Story, who will select 12 winners to perform their

work on stage before an audience at the Genesis

Theatre in Ladner to coincide with World Storytell-

ing Day on March 20.Story length is 1,000 words and has to incorpo-

rate the theme of water. Deadline for submissions

is Feb. 15. More information is available at agent-

story.net.

The Boundary Bay Air Show is doing a flyby for

2011.Organizers and municipal officials announced

last December the event will not be held this year.

The free event, which draws roughly 7,000 spec-

tators to watch aerobatic and ground-based dis-

plays each June, is scheduled to return in 2012.

The reason for the break is due to the 80 St. over-

pass and road construction along 72 St. and Ladner

Trunk Rd.The work limits access to Boundary Bay Airport

and raises concerns over public safety.

Brought to you by

ISSUE 10 VOL 2 JANUARY

Walk for memories

Story writing contest

Air show hiatus

ISSUE 10 VOL 2 JAN

›COMMUNITYBRIEFS

Philip Raphael, editorSouth Delta LeaderThere's plenty of mud on site and the

roadways leading up to the fi rst phase

of the Tsawwassen Springs development

aren't quite fi nished yet.But come spring the work is expected

to be done and Ron Toigo's residential

project that has been four years in the

making at the Tsawwassen Golf Course

can resume building on its early sales

fi gures.To date, 33 of the 53 homes in the four-

storey wood frame condo building—the

fi rst of four buildings to be constructed

on the site—overlooking the expanded

portion of the golf course have been

sold.

Those decent numbers are made even

more impressive when you factor in the

project does not yet have a website—one

is soon to be up and running (tsawwas-

sensprings.ca)—and very little advertis-

ing was bought to promote the project.

Toigo, managing director of Shato Hold-

ings, says customers pretty much had to

buy on faith, plus computer images and

drawings of the buildings."So, it's nice for customers to actu-

ally see what they have bought," he says

while conducting a tour of the site along

with daughter Sarah who is tasked with

selling the units through Royal LePage

Regency Realty Ltd.The condo units range from 800 to

around 1,600-square-feet and prices pric-

es start in the high $300,000 mark and go

up to the $700,000-plus level.

Sarah Toigo says the demographic the

condos have been aimed at are empty

nesters with the vast majority of sales so

far made to local buyers."We've got a huge demand for them

locally," Sarah says, "and what's been re-

ally nice, actually, is a lot of people who

supported us in the public hearing have

continued to maintain interest and buy.

And we've got a list of more than 300

people who have been word of mouth."

PICTURED Sarah and Ron Toigo

overlooking the 4th hole at the

Tsawwassen Springs development.

Philip Raphael photo

Spring upTsawwassen Golf Course

development on track as site takes shape


The theme for Heritage Week 2011 is

A Century of Conservation: Parks

and Protected Areas. A series

of community displays will be

featured in the municipal hall

lobby. Visit www.corp.delta.bc.ca

for more information.

Heritage Week February 21-27

THE DELTA LEADER APRIL 2010 ❙ B1

SAFE STORAGE P3 ••••••••• VICTIM SUPPORT P4 •••••••• GOSPEL OF GIVING P6

Boaz Joseph, ReporterSurrey North Delta Leader

Flinger's "owner" told the animal con-trol offers he had found the small, grey raptor in a nest in Hope.

It was not the case. The roadside hawk (buteo magnirostris), just a little taller than a robin, is a native of Mexico, and was obviously smuggled into the prov-ince.

When the bird came to Delta's Or-phaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (OWL) after being rescued from an area hotel room, he was malnourished – not underfed, but fed the wrong stuff: rice, bread, milk and rare scraps of chicken meat.

His condition was like that of a human

child with rickets, says OWL executive director Bev Day.

Not only did Flinger not receive proper nutrients, which made his bones perma-nently weak, he couldn't recognize a mouse, his species' main prey.

It took some time to re-train him to eat things bigger than tiny morsels of food.

His name – Flinger – came quickly to OWL staff.

"It's what he does with his food," ex-plains Day. "People end up with bits of mice in their hair or clothes. He's not a very dainty eater."

Eight years after his rescue, Flinger is a permanent resident at OWL, which treats more than 200 injured birds of prey each year at its facility near the Boundary Bay Airport.

With just one full-time and three part-time staffers, OWL relies on about 30 steady volunteers to run the centre.

But more are needed, especially dur-ing weekdays, says Day.

There are lots of jobs for people over age 13, such as bird care (involving lots of mice), cage maintenance, painting, carpentry and gardening.

A bigger worry is fundraising.On March 8, the B.C. Ministry of Hous-

ing and Social Development, which over-sees gaming grants, cut funding to the non-profi t society.

"School playgrounds, environmental

Have you ever wondered what grandma’s China set that you inherited is worth or what the story is behind the wood box you picked up at a garage sale?

In May, you'll have an opportunity to find out. The Delta Museum and Archives will be hosting its annual Antique Identification and Appraisal Clinics on May 8.

Well-known antiques appraiser Al Bowen is able to identify and date objects from any historical period and will provide a detailed history, description and verbal appraisal of your objects. After your objects have been appraised, stick around, enjoy a cup of tea and hear about other people’s treasures.

So, rustle through the basement, dust off those collectibles and bring them to the Delta Museum and Archives. There are two sessions: 10 a.m. to 12 noon or 1 to 3 p.m. with both clinics being hosted at the Museum’s Annex building (4918 Delta Street) located two blocks north of the historical museum building.

The cost is $12 per person, which includes a verbal identification and appraisal of two objects. Additional objects are $5 each to a maximum of two additional objects. Observers are welcome at $5 per person.

Space is limited, so pre-registration and payment is required. Call 604-946-9322 or stop by the muse-um to purchase your ticket.

Join the community in support of Delta Hospital May 2 at the Delta Hospital Foundation's second annual Walk for Health.

Last year more than 280 walkers took part and raised more than $64,500. This year, sponsor MK Delta Lands will match pledges dollar for dollar up to $25,000.

Participants can walk two, five, or 10 km around the hospital grounds, starting at 10 a.m. There will also be a health and wellness fair featuring booths by community businesses and hospital departments.

Registration is free, but walkers must register in advance. Visit deltahospital.com or call 604-940-9695.

PICTURED Sarah is one of many raptors under the care of OWL. Boaz Jospeh photo

Brought to you by

ISSUE 1 VOL 1 APRIL

Antique appraisal clinic comes to Delta

Last chance to register

ISSUE 1 VOL 1

To the rescueOWL focuses on fundraising for its feathered friends


Brought to you by

distribution: 30,000 every month!South Delta leaDer inserted into the full circulation – 16,600Surrey/north Delta leaDer inserted into north Delta – 15,300

this monthly newspaper connects north and South Delta once a month with stories that bring together these communities.

If you have any news tips contact:

If you are interested in advertising:Jane Ilott South Delta Leader, Advertising Consultant 604-948-3640 ext. 127 [email protected]

Collette Semeniuk South Delta Leader, Advertising Consultant 604-948-3640 ext. 121 [email protected]

Philip Raphael South Delta Leader, Editor 604-948-3640 ext. 122 [email protected]

Paula Carlson Surrey North Delta Leader,Editor 604-575-5337 [email protected]

Christine Lyon South Delta Leader, Reporter 604-948-3640 ext. 126 [email protected]

www.southdeltaleader.com www.surreyleader.com

SCHOOLS RE-OPEN:TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2011

O P E N I N G H O U R SElementary Students(Grades 1-7 inclusive)

Schools will open at their regular times and close at 12:00 noon(as published in the school calendars distributed in May).

NOTE: Kindergarten students will attend for approximately 45 minutes on opening day (parents will be notified of actual times by their child’s school).

Secondary StudentsOpening day hours of attendance for specific secondary

schools may be obtained by contacting the school.

REGISTRATION for students who are NEW to Delta schools:

ElementaryTuesday, August 30 or Wednesday, August 31

9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

SecondaryMonday, August 29 or

Tuesday, August 309:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

PLEASE REGISTER AT YOUR LOCAL AREA SCHOOLAt the time of registration please present the following information:

For all students:1. Appropriate proof of citizenship or status in Canada for both students and parents, and

appropriate proof of age for students. •Original birth certificate, passport, baptismal certificate, immigration or refugee

documentation

2. Appropriate proof of residence (purchase/rental agreement, current year property tax receipt, current month rental receipt showing address, or letter from landlord).

3. Most recent report card from previous school, if available.

For students entering Kindergarten:As above, plus: •Immunizationrecord

For students entering Secondary:As above, plus: •Copyofsummerschoolresults,ifapplicable

For students whose first language is not English (ESL):A district assessment service for secondary students only is offered as follows:

LADNER,TSAWWASSEN&NORTHDELTARESIDENTS

Monday, August 22 and Tuesday, August 23 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.School Board Office – 4585 Harvest Dr.

At these assessments, children’s English language proficiency will be assessed to determine school placement. To book an appointment, please contact

Special Programs at 604-952-5325.

For further information please visit our website at http://web.deltasd.bc.ca or call 604-952-5346.

New Arrivals for Fall!

Peekaboo Bean

Blu

Pedipeds

Bunnies by the Bay

Isobella and Chloe

Plus a wonderful selection of

slightly experienced clothing

4877 Delta Street, Ladner Village • 604.946.3997

the delta leader august 2011 ❙ B5

B6 ❙ august 2011 the delta leaderB6 ❙ AUGUST 2011 THE DELTA LEADER

Echoes of Sept. 11Delta leaders recall a horrifi c day 10 years agoSurrey North Delta Leader

September 11, 2001 is one of those iconic days in history that leaves an indelible imprint on so-ciety.

As part of our look back at the events of 10 years ago, The Delta Leader asked municipal leaders about their rec-ollections of the World Trade Center tragedy and what they think about it now.

In an email survey, we asked two questions:

1. Where were you, and what were you do-ing when you fi rst heard of the planes fl ying into the World Trade Center, and how did that affect the rest of your day?

2. How has that event affected your life since?

Here are the responses.•••

Coun. Anne PetersonWe woke to the urgent

news that a plane had crashed into a highrise in New York. We watched CNN Live as a second curled into the mael-strom. We whispered, "who declared war on the States?"

In numbness, we at-tempted a normal day with few knowing in the morning, everyone aware by night.

But it was the silence that unnerved me. In North Delta, planes fl y with such frequency that like the background hum of a highway, they're no-ticed and dismissed be-fore the fi nal echo. For three days, there was silence.

What have we learned? That a poorly fi nanced war creates massive defi cits? That unabated fearful frustrations puts a two-year-old on a no-fl y list and strip-searches a grandma?

Many people died hor-rifi cally that day. Many heroes, too. Many sol-diers since mourned. Many broken returned.

The echoes of those 9/11 planes are still re-verberating.

•••Coun. Heather King

I was at home, getting my boys ready for school when my husband (who was working from home) had a hard time getting his computer to work. Seems it was jammed with too many hits on the Globe and Mail site.

That is when, horror-struck, he called me into the offi ce to look

at the news without our young children to see the events. Only the fi rst plane had hit the World Trade Center at that time. We had both been airline employees and I had been retired only fi ve months from Cana-dian Airlines.

When my husband Dean looked at me and said that he believed the airplane to be a commer-cial plane with innocent people on board, we just could not take it all in. We were in shock the rest of the week.

In the evening, we went down to the beach in Boundary Bay and looked across at the Boundary Bay Airport in the distance and the si-lence—no planes in the sky—felt odd. We spoke about the very real possi-bility of the pending war that this would likely bring. It felt surreal.

Air travel of course has altered greatly and we take our peace in this country less for-granted. We cherish the political climate that we have in Delta and in Canada.

•••Coun. Scott Hamilton

Like many of us liv-ing on the West Coast, I was just beginning my day. While stepping back into the house af-ter walking the dog, my wife called to me and told me to turn on the

TV in my offi ce.Rather than trek

to my downtown of-fi ce, I decided to work from home that day so I could keep an eye on the events as they un-folded.

Life changes every day. It's is how we adapt to that change that af-fects us as we go for-ward. Many of us can't help but think about our vulnerabilities. We must always remain vigilant, but if we obsess about it, and allow it to control our lives, the bad guys win.

•••Mayor Lois Jackson

Ten years ago, I was a newly elected mayor for Delta—a daunting task at the time. It was early morning and I was alone as I turned on the television in my home, prepared to have my breakfast and watch the early morning news be-fore heading for the hall.

Upon turning on the TV my heart sank as I witnessed the ever-repeating unbeliev-able pictures of the great United States of America being attacked with violence against innocent men, women and children. I watched as the police and fi re personnel headed for Ground Zero; many would never return.

I remember being

glued to the TV screen and calling our chief administrative offi cer (CAO), knowing that our country, our municipal-ity and our people could be under huge pressure to perform some extraor-dinary planning and possible response to this event.

I called other senior staff. Eventually, the enormity of the story un-folded and our connec-tions and collaboration with senior military and law enforcement agen-cies across Canada were solidifi ed.

We have worked dili-gently with federal and provincial agencies, car-rying out several mock major emergencies to test our mettle. We have activated our emergen-cy command post on many occasions since I have been mayor and I am proud to say that we have succeeded in all exercises.

I could go on at some length regarding all the lessons learned from the 9/11 horrors, and this community can be assured that we have a wonderful group of emergency and local per-sonnel who are ready, willing and available to do everything required to keep our people in Delta as safe as possible should the worst happen in our community.

Lois JacksonHeather King Scott HamiltonAnne Peterson

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First responders rememberChristine Lyon, reporterSouth Delta Leader

The numbers are still hard to swallow.

Among the almost 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 were 343 fi refi ghters and 72 police offi cers.

The losses suffered that day have been mourned by citizens around the world, but for those who work in emergency response, the death toll has special sig-nifi cance.

"It's a little bit more of a personal reality," said Delta Police spokesper-son Sgt. Sharlene Brooks. "We realize that, I think, it could have been any one of us."

About 40 Delta police and fi refi ghters are com-peting in the 2011 World Police and Fire Games in New York City from Aug. 26 to Sept. 5. Although they are scheduled to return home before Sept. 11, they will still have a chance to participate in remembrance ceremo-nies marking the 10-year

anniversary of 9/11.Back at home, Brooks

says some Delta police offi cers plan to take part in the 9.11 Memorial Ride when hundreds of motorcyclists are expect-ed to ride en masse from River Rock Casino in Richmond to the Peace Arch border crossing in honour of the emer-gency personnel and civilians who died Sept. 11. Meanwhile, several members of the depart-ment—including the chief constable—have been invited to attend a special Sunday service at

Delta Baptist Church.Brooks says members

of police and fi re com-munities worldwide share a common and deep bond.

"Even though we're separated by miles, we certainly stay connected through the similarities in our jobs and the in-herent risks," she said. "Regardless of boundar-ies and jurisdictional dif-ferences, those are our brothers and sisters, if you will."

In the years after 9/11, tightened security mea-sures became a focus in

more countries than just the U.S. Brooks said there are a number of installa-tions in Delta that create the need for heightened security: BC Ferries, Boundary Bay Airport and the port.

"The chief constable is very cognizant of those things and we've implemented a variety of different measures through our emergency preparedness, both for a natural disaster as well as man-made," she [email protected]

Police and firefighters worldwide share a common bond

PICTURED On Sept. 11, 2002, Delta police, firefighters and dignitaries gathered at Municipal Hall to participate in a remembrance ceremony marking the one-year anniversary of 9/11. Philip Raphael file photo

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Delta Leader August 2011