It was a great honour to have been invited by the family of student Andrew Robichaud to participate in his commendation ceremony by the Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs. While the ceremony took place in London, Ontario this summer, it is only fitting that this blog be posted now.
As a grade 8 student at my school (Ridley College), Andrew was asked to create a meaningful Heritage Fair project that had real-life applications. He decided to do his work on that of a family member- the late Hon. Daniel J. MacDonald- Canadian WWII veteran, Member of Parliament, and Cabinet minister for Veterans Affairs.
His work became more than just a school assignment with a personal connection. It became a journey that continues to the present day, and will undoubtedly continue well into the future. The professional quality of his work can be viewed at: http://www.steppingstone.ca/oh-danny-boy-on-the-life-of-hon-daniel-j-macdonald/.
More importantly, Andrew gained a deeper appreciation for the sacrifice made by his late-uncle and the sacrifices made by all veterans of conflict. His work took him back to his maritime roots and the video that he created for the project gained national, if not international recognition. Andrew took part in a school trip to Vimy, France and continues to present his work and the remarkable story of Daniel J. MacDonald to veterans groups all over.
He made his school proud, his family proud, and his country proud through his efforts. For that he was honored by the Hon. Steven Blaney with the Veterans Affairs Commendation for Ontario in 2012.
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