CNC Okanagan News

Media information and story content on Canadian Naval Centennial - Okanagan activities:

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CANADIAN NAVY PRESENTS OKANAGAN COMMUNITIES, KAMLOOPS AND REVELSTOKE WITH NAVAL NAMESAKE CERTIFICATES
by Paul Seguna, CNC Okanagan Committee

The Southern Interior of BC is a long way from the waters that Commander Robert Ferguson routinely patrols as Commanding Officer of HMCS WINNIPEG, one of Canada's Patrol Frigates. He acknowledged the challenges that this geographic fact presents the navy in his speeches in various BC Interior communities he visited between 28 and 31 March while making presentations to those communities associated with the celebration of the 2010 Canadian Naval Centennial. As the Commander ventured to his audiences, at sea he has just to order a helm change and his ship will cross the waters in any direction and the navy will be there but that's a bit more of a challenge in the landlocked regions of BC. During this centennial year the Canadian Navy has risen to that challenge with a program aimed at recognizing historic linkages the navy has built with communities across Canada, often far from the nearest of the nation's three coastlines, over the first one hundred years of its existence.

The Naval Namesake Community Presentations program is the navy's way of reaching out to the over three hundred communities - cities, towns, villages and First Nations communities - that share their name with a ship currently in commission or one that has been in commissioned service since the Canadian Navy's inception in 1910. For the Okanagan that meant that three communities were listed for Naval Namesake Certificates, Kelowna (HMCS KELOWNA), Vernon (HMCS KALAMALKA) and the Okanagan Nation Alliance (HMCS OKANAGAN). In addition to these Okanagan communities, presentations were also made to the cities of Kamloops and Revelstoke by Cdr Ferguson accompanied by Lieutenant(Navy) Chris Chalmers and Petty Officer 2nd Class Debbie Chamberlain. The Okanagan and Kamloops presentations were made all the more meaningful as Cdr Ferguson spent his early years in Ashcroft (near Kamloops) and then Vernon, Lieutenant(Navy) Chalmers hails from Kelowna and Petty Officer Chamberlain is of First Nations heritage herself.

The presentation events were an excellent opportunity for the navy's Naval Namesake Program ambassadors to interact with the various namesake communities with local naval centennial stakeholders in attendance. Naval Veterans, Okanagan Military Museum Society, Navy League and Sea Cadet members in those communities were well represented at these events. The presentations served as the public launch of the Canadian Naval Centennial (CNC) - Okanagan Committee events for 2010 with follow-on events planned for Okanagan communities during CNC Week - Okanagan 1-8 May 2010. Events are also being planned for Kamloops over the year as part of naval centennial celebrations there. The Naden Band of Maritime Forces Pacific CNC Road Show, "Sailors and Songs" will also be performing in Pentiction, Kelowna and Kamloops this Fall.

NAVAL NAMESAKE COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS PHOTO GALLERY - Photos: Cdr Paul Seguna

Audience at the HMCS KALAMALKA presentation event in the Vernon City Council Chambers on 31 March 2010.
Cdr Robert Ferguson and Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert pictured with the HMCS KALAMALKA certificate.

Cdr Ferguson and Mayor Lippert exchange pleasantries during the presentation ceremony. Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert sporting the HMCS WINNIPEG ball cap presented to him during the ceremony pictured by the HMCS KALAMALKA certificate.

The Kelowna Naval Veterans Association and RCSCC Grenville were well represented at the Kelowna presentation. Cdr Ferguson addresses the Kelowna City Council in the Council Chambers during the HMCS KELOWNA presentation event.

Cdr Ferguson and Lt(N) Chris Chalmers pictured with the HMCS KELOWNA Naval Namesake Certificate. Cdr Ferguson, Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd (sporting a HMCS WINNIPEG ball cap) and Lt(N) Chalmers pose for media pictures after the presentation of the certificate to the City of Kelowna.

The Naval Namesake delegation are serenaded with tradition song by a children's choir at the Westbank First Nations venue for the HMCS OKANAGAN presentation event. Cdr Ferguson and PO 2nd Class Debbie Chamberlain are flanked by Okanagan Nation Alliance representatives and veterans during the HMCS OKANAGAN presentation event.

Cdr Ferguson accepts the gift of a traditional First Nations blanket on behalf of the Canadian Navy from Okanagan Nation Alliance members Michael Watts and Tara Montgomery in recognition of the navy's honouring of the linkage with the people of the Okanagan Nation Alliance. Michael is a USN veteran with service in Vietnam.
The Okanagan Military Museum set up a display table at the Westbank First Nations venue with the HMCS OKANAGAN bell ( on loan from the Penticton museum) and related naval artifacts. The newly presented HMCS OKANAGAN Naval Namesake Certificate is pictured with elements of this display.

The HMCS KAMLOOPS Ship's Bell is pictured in the foreground on the Mayor's Council Chambers desk with Cdr Ferguson and Mayor Peter Milobar conversing in the background. Cdr Ferguson addresses the Kamloops City Council while P0 2nd Class Chamberlain displays the HMCS KAMLOOPS certificate.

Cdr Ferguson and Mayor Milobar, wearing a HMCS WINNIPEG ball cap, pose for photos with the HMCS KAMLOOPS certificate. The local Kamloops participants from the Kamloops Naval Veterans and Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans Associations and Sea Cadet Corps are pictured with Canadian Navy representatives outside Kamloops City Hall at the completion of the presentation ceremony on 30 March 2010.

For further information contact:

Paul Seguna
(Commander)
CNC Okanagan Committee- Events /Public Relations Coordinator
Tel(H -Vernon area): 250-558-5503
e-mail:

cncokanagan@gmail.com