President’s Message
November 2024
When I think of November, I think about remembrance, sacrifice, and reflection. I believe the poem, Reluctance from Robert Frost sums up November to me.
“Out through the fields and the woods
And over the walls I have wended
I have climbed the hills of view
And looked at the world, and descended;
I have come by the highway home,
And lo, it is ended.
The leaves are all dead on the ground,
Save those that the oak is keeping
To ravel them one by one
And let them go scraping and creeping
Out over the crusted snow,
When others are sleeping.
And the dead leaves lie huddled and still,
No longer blown hither and thither;
The last lone aster is gone;
The flowers of the witch-hazel wither;
The heart is still aching to seek,
But the feet question ‘Whither’?”
Ah, when to the heart of man
Was it ever less than a treason
To go with the drift of things,
To yield with a grace to reason,
And bow and accept the end
Of a love or as season?”
Robert Frost (1874-1963)
November is when all the leaves have fallen, and the smell and chill of winter fills the air. This is the month to reflect and savour each moment of daylight. It is also a time to remember and give thanks to those that have given their lives in the name of freedom and liberty.
If you have not made the trip, you should plan a trip to the National War Memorial in Ottawa. The National War Memorial is monument also known as “The Response” which is a cenotaph memorializing the sacrifices of all Canadian Armed Forces personnel who served Canada in the pursuit of peace and freedom. The monument was completed in 1938 and its design was selected by way of a contest. The winning entry was from Vernon March. His theme was “The Great Response of Canada” and was represented by uniformed figures from all services passing through a granite arch. In 2000, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was added to the front of the memorial. The tomb contained the remains of an unknown Canadian soldier who was buried at Vimy Ridge from the WWI. I am including some pictures that I took when I visited the memorial in 2018.
Do you have a child or grandchild registered in fulltime studies at university or college? If so, they can apply for an OIAA Bursary. For further information, please see https://oiaa.com/bursary. The deadline to apply is November 8th.
Our next event is the 2024 Holiday Party & Past President’s Night which will take place on Wednesday, December 4th at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. The theme is “Black & Gold Speakeasy” so we encourage you to wear something that fits the theme! Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are now available for the 2024 Holiday Party & Past President’s Night at www.oiaa.com.
The 2025 Claims Conference will take place on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at the Metro Convention Centre. Booth and sponsorships sales are now available at www.oiaa.com.
I welcome your comments and feedback. Please feel
free to reach out to me at sgillen@facilityassociation.
com.
Yours truly,
SHAWNA GILLEN, CIP
President
Facility Association
(437) 962-5820