By Kevin J Sabo For the Advance
There are few Canadian symbols as truly iconic the red Serge of the RCMP.
On Sept. 29, community members and first-responders from around the region came together to honour the members of the local RCMP detachment at the second RCMP Red Serge Ball held at the Coronation community hall, benefiting the Coronation/Castor Victim Services.
The event, which did not sell out this year, featured eight RCMP members from the region, with seven dressed in the iconic uniform, and one dressed in the daily uniform of today, due to being on duty.
Castor Town Coun. Tony Nichols, who is the Castor Council board representative with victim services, said that though the event did not sell out, 83 tickets were sold for the evening, and he had been receiving generally good feedback on the event. He also noted in his report to Castor Council on Oct 2 that there were many competing functions going on the same weekend.
The evening began with a receiving line made up of the RCMP members, and other community delegates such as the mayors of Coronation and Castor, followed by “Oh Canada” sung by Aidan Kobi. Next up, Constable Jordan Tourney, a relative newcomer to the Coronation detachment, spoke on his experience in his year in Coronation.
“It’s a breath of fresh air to come to a place like this, “Tourney said, speaking on how he has settled into the small community.
After Cst. Tourney finished, Cst. Olivier Desy-Marion stepped to the podium to do the Loyalist Toast, a sombre toast to Queen Elizabeth, followed by the blessing of the food by RCMP Chaplain Clayton Grice. There were several other toasts made during the evening, and the center of the hall was clear for dancing after the meal.
The Coronation RCMP detachment has been in a state of transition for the last few months, with the previous commanding officer taking a transfer to Edmonton in June, and his replacement not having arrived in the region yet. As well, Cst. Dustin Macintyre has been away on an extended training leave from which he has just returned, and Tourney has been away on parental leave, leaving Cst. Brenda MacDonald, Cst. Trevor Voyer, and Cst. Olivier Desy-Marion as the only active members in the detachment, being overseen by Acting Sergeant Trent Cleveland of the Killam detachment.
