Hello!

With less than 70 days to go, it won’t be long now!

We’ve had some great media coverage this month. Read the heart-warming story of the Yarmouth, Nova Scotia family whose IOFF participants span three generations and whose “IOFF-Yarmouth rendition” is near and dear to my heart! Read also Guelph Today’s article about IOFF’s efforts to find photos and personal information of soldiers buried at Groesbeek
(in association with Faces to Graves). 

Check out our growing media page!

Thanks for taking the time to catch up on IOFF’s latest developments.

Karen Hunter, on behalf of The IOFF Team

Correction

Last month, we published some charts showing the group’s distribution by age, gender, province, and program. One chart’s labels were reversed, so here it is again.

“Free-Day” Excursions

Our 9-day program has one “free day.” The 13-day program has two.
These “Free Days” can be spent as you wish. Below are some options.

Relax at Landgoed Ehzerwold 

From our hotel (Ehzerwold), enjoy a special short boat trip and a 30-minute bike (or car) ride to Lochem for lunch at “Mondani,” a Canadian restaurant with a small museum.
It’s also the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Legion in the Netherlands. Return to the hotel for a leisurely afternoon.

Give these options some thought. By March 31st, we’ll ask you to confirm your choices and we’ll provide more details, including prices (estimated to be a maximum $50/p).

The IOFF “Soldier Challenge”

Some of you have taken up the challenge to research a soldier buried at Groesbeek that’s from your city (or one nearby). The short-term goal (by Mar.14th) is to obtain a headshot (of suitable quality) for engraving on a plaque to be displayed on the soldier’s grave during the Faces of Groesbeek event (May 2-6/20)—so there is a “face on the grave.” (The plaques will then be stored for future events.)

The longer-term goal is to (ideally) connect with the soldier’s relatives to obtain personal information/stories that can be posted on Faces to Graves’ virtual (online) memorial.
If you have this info in time, you can give it to a Faces to Graves representative when we’re at Groesbeek. You may want to consider buying the plaque for the soldier’s grave, however, there’s no obligation to do this.

Note: If you want to buy a plaque, the cost is 10Euros/$15Cdn. In the online “message” section, be sure to note “IOFF” and the soldier’s name. 
https://www.geef.nl/en/donate?charity=8371

Note: Dutch banks don’t take cheques.

HQ Dispatch: The Family Edition!

Meet the Beaulac family! Mitch (and Helene) from (top) Debden, SK. Gerry, from Edmonton, AB. Jocelyne (and Roger) from Darwell, AB. Murielle from Calgary, AB. Together, they’ll walk in the footsteps of Leo Beaulac who served with the South Saskatchewan Regiment.

"Let's go! I said, thinking IOFF would be a great trip to make, especially since Dad was right there 75 years ago. What an honor to be able to walk in his footsteps.” - Jocelyne

“My first thoughts when I heard about IOFF was that I would have a chance to walk in my fathers’ footsteps and see, with my own eyes, the countryside and feel the countryside that he saw and felt as a young soldier.” - Mitch

“What makes IOFF special to me is that I remember when Dad and Mom returned from Holland 25 years ago. Dad was finally able to be at peace having discussions about the war, the real dangers they were exposed to, and the good things he and his team accomplished. He mentioned often that the gratitude he felt coming from the Dutch was overwhelming. I think that is what put him at peace opening up. So I look forward to being in that space.” - Gerry

“Dad never talked about his days in the war. I remember us kids asking him questions but his answers were always short, never sharing any stories. I am very excited to join my sister and two brothers on this pilgrimage!” - Murielle” 

Meet the Goodwins from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia! 

Photo credit: Anya d'entremont

Back row left to right:

Heather Hatfield, Jessica Lambert, Shelley Goodwin, Nick Hilton, Crystal Hilton

Bottom row left to right:

Keltie Hatfield, Megan Hatfield, Florence Goodwin, Kim Muise

Not in the picture: Andrew Hilton

Staley Goodwin, served with the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards as a wireless operator in Holland during WWII and helped liberate The Netherlands. He and his wife, Florence travelled to the Netherlands for the 40th and 50th liberation celebrations.
Staley passed away in 2010.

Making the IOFF pilgrimage is Florence (83) with two of her three daughters, Crystal Hilton and Shelley Goodwin; her two grandsons, Nick and Andrew Hilton and their partners Kim Muise and Jessica Lambert; and her two granddaughters, Megan and Keltie Hatfield. 

Staley and Florence’s daughter, Heather Hatfield can’t make the trip so she’s planning her own commemorative event. Staley’s childhood friend had often said, “I will always remember Staley walking up the road of Pembroke coming home from war in his uniform.” He had walked from the old Yarmouth train station (now a Tim Hortons ... how Canadian is that?) to his home in Pembroke, approximately 8 km. So while the Goodwin family is walking in Staley’s footsteps in Holland, Heather will retrace his final footsteps home from war, along with other family members unable to make the trip, and friends. 

“When Mom and Dad were in Holland for the 40th and 50th anniversary, they were hosted by a Dutch Family from Apeldoorn. They became lifelong friends, calling us their Canadian Family and they are our Dutch family. Plans are now being made for a Canadian-Dutch family reunion while we are there.”

What’s your story? We’d love to share it! Email IOFF at:

inourfathersfootstepsevent@gmail.com