Ron Richardson, as usual, presided over the registration, ticket sales for the annual draw, and generally acted as Reunion Ops Officer as he has done for the past years.

Barry Johnson related to the assembled crew that the Squadron received recognition from the Royal Life Saving Society for the successful rescue of two teen age youths who had taken a boat from the U.S. side of a choppy Lake Erie. The were found the next day by the crew of a 411 Otter [Capt Bill Purdy, Capt Barry Johnson, and Cpl Harold Chung] The event happened over thirty years ago bearing out the expression - "Patience is a Virtue". Once again even in its demise 411 Squadron performs in an exemplary fashion. Well done...

Ron passed on the sad news of those colleagues and comrades who passed away during the past year. They have left this earth to "...touch the face of God...."

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

One final note - I know that the banner of the reunion photos pages says 2002; I just haven't had time to make a new one. It shall be done.

Well until next year

Seasons greetings to you all from the

Grizzly Keeper