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The following story can be found at the US Army News Service located at
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=7875
Canadian Embassy steps up to help Katrina victims
By Col. Randy Pullen
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 8, 2005) - "Canada stands with you - as friends and as family" said Canada's Ambassador to the United States Frank McKenna, while his embassy staffers raised more than $20,000 for the Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The Canadian Embassy held an all-day fundraiser for the hurricane victims Sept 7.
The U.S. Army joined the Canadian Armed Forces at the embassy event. A color guard from the 3rd U.S. Infantry (the Old Guard) and a combo from the U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) participated in the opening outdoor breakfast benefit.
Other U.S. Soldiers joined hundreds of contributors at the breakfast and at a follow-on lunch. Both meals were free to anyone who made a donation at the embassy.
Canadian Air Force Lt. Col. Jamie Robertson of the embassy's Canadian Defence Liaison Staff estimated that some 750 people attended the breakfast and lunch, contributing about $17,000. A third afternoon benefit at a restaurant put the donations total over the $20,000 mark.
"It was great to see this event take off," said Canadian Army Maj. Gen. Jan Arp, the Canadian Defence attaché, who reported for duty at the embassy three week ago.
Arp talked about the outpouring of sympathy and support from the Canadian people for this tragedy.
"Every province has responded," he said. "We've opened up our national emergency stock to contribute supplies."
Arp talked about the Canadian Armed Forces specialists already helping out in the Gulf Coast region and said that more Canadian military support was on the way.
"As the ambassador said, the United States has helped us many times in the past so now it's a nice thing that we can help the United States," Arp said.
A 40-man Canadian military diving team is on scene now in the stricken area, working with the U.S. Navy on the identification and removal of navigation hazards and levee inspection.
A four-ship Canadian task group from the Canadian Navy and Coast Guard (Canadian Forces Joint Task Group 306) left Halifax yesterday for the Gulf Coast, carrying emergency supplies, small boats, communications experts, divers and Army engineers.
The Canadian Air Force is sending two CH-146 Griffin helicopters to assist the U.S. Coast Guard in covering the Boston area's search and rescue requirements, helping to cover the loss of several USCG helicopters sent from there to conduct rescue operations in the Gulf Coast region.
As with the U.S. and U.S. military response to Katrina, the Canadian and Canadian military response can be expected to grow as recovery efforts unfold and evolve. Canadians, from the prime minister on down, stand ready to help their neighbors to the south for the long-haul.
"We are ready to help," McKenna said. "You are our friends and together we are family - you do not suffer alone. We were there after 9/11 with volunteers, teams of rebuilding experts and in fundraisers and rallies across Canada. After our terrible ice storms in 1998, you were there to help us."
"In forest fires, floods and natural disasters, Canadians and Americans help each other," McKenna said.
(Note: For more information on Canada's response to Hurricane Katrina, go to: www.canadianally.com
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=7875
Canadian Embassy steps up to help Katrina victims
By Col. Randy Pullen
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 8, 2005) - "Canada stands with you - as friends and as family" said Canada's Ambassador to the United States Frank McKenna, while his embassy staffers raised more than $20,000 for the Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The Canadian Embassy held an all-day fundraiser for the hurricane victims Sept 7.
The U.S. Army joined the Canadian Armed Forces at the embassy event. A color guard from the 3rd U.S. Infantry (the Old Guard) and a combo from the U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) participated in the opening outdoor breakfast benefit.
Other U.S. Soldiers joined hundreds of contributors at the breakfast and at a follow-on lunch. Both meals were free to anyone who made a donation at the embassy.
Canadian Air Force Lt. Col. Jamie Robertson of the embassy's Canadian Defence Liaison Staff estimated that some 750 people attended the breakfast and lunch, contributing about $17,000. A third afternoon benefit at a restaurant put the donations total over the $20,000 mark.
"It was great to see this event take off," said Canadian Army Maj. Gen. Jan Arp, the Canadian Defence attaché, who reported for duty at the embassy three week ago.
Arp talked about the outpouring of sympathy and support from the Canadian people for this tragedy.
"Every province has responded," he said. "We've opened up our national emergency stock to contribute supplies."
Arp talked about the Canadian Armed Forces specialists already helping out in the Gulf Coast region and said that more Canadian military support was on the way.
"As the ambassador said, the United States has helped us many times in the past so now it's a nice thing that we can help the United States," Arp said.
A 40-man Canadian military diving team is on scene now in the stricken area, working with the U.S. Navy on the identification and removal of navigation hazards and levee inspection.
A four-ship Canadian task group from the Canadian Navy and Coast Guard (Canadian Forces Joint Task Group 306) left Halifax yesterday for the Gulf Coast, carrying emergency supplies, small boats, communications experts, divers and Army engineers.
The Canadian Air Force is sending two CH-146 Griffin helicopters to assist the U.S. Coast Guard in covering the Boston area's search and rescue requirements, helping to cover the loss of several USCG helicopters sent from there to conduct rescue operations in the Gulf Coast region.
As with the U.S. and U.S. military response to Katrina, the Canadian and Canadian military response can be expected to grow as recovery efforts unfold and evolve. Canadians, from the prime minister on down, stand ready to help their neighbors to the south for the long-haul.
"We are ready to help," McKenna said. "You are our friends and together we are family - you do not suffer alone. We were there after 9/11 with volunteers, teams of rebuilding experts and in fundraisers and rallies across Canada. After our terrible ice storms in 1998, you were there to help us."
"In forest fires, floods and natural disasters, Canadians and Americans help each other," McKenna said.
(Note: For more information on Canada's response to Hurricane Katrina, go to: www.canadianally.com
