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Rear Admiral tips his hat to students at St. Dominic By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Canadian Forces Rear Admiral Andy Smith stopped by St. Dominic Catholic Elementary School last week to thank students for supporting Canada's soldiers and to tell them a little more about becoming one. Over the past six years, St. Dominic teacher John MacPhail has tasked his history class with creating posters to recognize each of the Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan. These posters, which thank the soldiers for their sacrifice, are then mailed to the soldiers' families. Smith expressed his gratitude to the students not only for sending these posters, but for the respect they've shown to Canada's soldiers. "It's rare to go into a school these days and be greeted with the kind of warmth that I was greeted with on the way in this morning. Flags, a poster...and so full marks to you students and to the administration for carrying on that citizenry-type focus," said Smith. "I think, and I'm sure my friends from the Legion would agree, there's probably not enough of that in this country." Students also heard from one of the recipients of their posters, Carol Mitchell of Kandahar Airfield NATO base, is in the process of being dismantled for transport back to Canada. While the memorial's future resting place has yet to be determined, Mitchell said she was happy to receive the news. "That is pretty special to me because when that was there (visiting Afghanistan) it was like the men had a little piece of the person who they lost," she said. "Now, they're all coming home." Mitchell talked about the importance of f some Canadian soldiers staying behind to train the Afghans how to protect their country and called on those present to thank Canadian soldiers for their service whenever they see them. All these soldiers, she said, are heroes. DAVID LEA / OAKVILLE BEAVER "Of course I am sad that my son isn't one SALUTING HEROES: Carol Mitchell, St. Dominic School student Ally Dandy, 13, and Rear of the men who will be coming home, but I Admiral Andy Smith are pictured as Dandy and Smith present Mitchell with a poster commemorating know he was there to do a job that he her son, the late Corporal Robert Mitchell. He was 32 when he was killed in Afghanistan in 2006. wanted to do and that he felt was necessary," said Mitchell. "He loved Canada and he could best Owen Sound, whose son Corporal Robert gave him a round of applause. serve Canada there. He was there to fight Mitchell, 32, was killed in Afghanistan in "I can't tell you how special it is coming for freedom, not just for the freedom of the 2006. here. Every time I come, I am greeted by all Canadian people, but freedom for the Mitchell, who has spoken at the school of you and I feel like I'm coming home Afghans. We know how much we enjoy freebefore, began her presentation by acknowl- instead of to a strange town," said Mitchell. dom, why shouldn't all the world have freeedging Derek DiCiccio, 16, the student "Oakville has become my home away dom?" whom she said made the first poster she from home." Following Mitchell's address, Smith kept received. Mitchell said that at the moment the the students engaged with a presentation DiCiccio, who was in the audience, could memorial to Canada's soldiers killed in See Admiral page 7 be seen choking back tears as all present Afghanistan, which is located on the Music Director: Sarah Morrison Associate Music Director: Janet Stachow Conductor: Jeff MacLean Accompanist: Cheryl Duvall 5 · Thursday, December 1, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com THE OAKVILLE CHILDREN'S CHOIR JOY WORLD WO ORLD! to the With G Guests: Gu ue es sts t: Mark Gardner Baritone k Ga G ard rdn dner - B Ba aritone Catherine Gardner Soprano Cath herin in ne Gard rdner - S rd So o opran no Community Community Carol Carol Concert Concert IS IS NOW NOW SELLING SELLING DIRECT DIRECT TO TO THE THE PUBLIC PUBLIC LEISURE L SUR INDUSTRIES INDUSTRIES FACTORY FACTORY OUTLET OUTLET WHY PAY HIGH RETAIL PRICES BUY FACTORY DIRECT! 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