“A night at the museum in support of military families” The Intelligencer
It was a magical night under the wings of the mighty Handley Page Halifax bomber at the National Air Force Museum of Canada on Saturday.
As guests of the annual Invisible Ribbon Gala took their seats for an evening meal, a man wielding a small flashlight — referred to only as ‘the caretaker’ — appeared out of the shadows of the museum’s towering centrepiece of military aviation history.
As he spoke, men and women dressed in old-fashioned military attire — complete with aviator goggles and scarves — ghosted through the sea of tables where guests quietly looked on.
On a nearby stage, drama played out as a military family said goodbye to a mother as she prepared for her deployment.
The performances were all put on by actors from the Stirling Festival Theatre. Leading up to the dinner, actors were placed at points throughout the museum and re-enacted scenes as guests stopped to watch.
Christina Gordon, portraying a military instructor, barked out information at groups of guests as they stopped to watch, while in another part of the building Nicola Hadjis played the part of Marjorie Stinson, a teenage American aviator who trained at the Wright Flying School.
It was all part of the theme of this year’s gala, A Night at the Museum, inspired by the Hollywood film series of the same name.
Trenton MFRC executive director Tamara Kleinschmidt spoke a few words to start the evening.
“It’s because of our community partners, sponsors, donors and volunteers that we are able to do everything that we do for military families,” said Kleinschmidt.
“Without their support, we would not be here tonight.”
The Trenton MFRC provides services and resources supporting the well-being of military families serving at CFB Trenton — including regular force or reservist as well as parents and close relatives.
Early figures show this year’s gala has raised close to $115,000 for the Invisible Ribbon Campaign, though that number is expected to rise. A final tally will be released later this week.
The Invisible Ribbon Campaign raises awareness about the role of the military family as they support military members by ‘wearing the invisible uniform’ — recognizing the important role families play in enabling the operational effectiveness of the Canadian Armed Forces as their loved ones face missions around the world.
Devon Taylor, communications and development coordinator for the Trenton MFRC, said it was a “fantastic” night.
“We have heard a lot of positive feedback about the event, our theme and, as always, tremendous support from the community.”
More information about the Trenton MFRC can be found at https://trentonmfrc.ca/
tjmiller@postmedia.com