Flags sailing across Canada
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Twin flags commemorating the Canadian Power Squadron’s 75th anniversary will be reunited in Toronto this fall after charting separate courses across Canada.
“It’s a really exciting year for us,” said Joan Hicks of the Tillsonburg Power and Sail Squadron (TPSS), former District Commander and Chair of the National Historic Committee.
Canadian Power Squadron began with Windsor Power Squadron in 1938. Three members of the Windsor Yacht Club had taken the Junior Piloting Course at the Detroit Yacht Club the previous year and shared their knowledge as instructors. Since that day, a virtually all-volunteer (save head office staff in Scarborough) CPS organization has evolved into a national entity with 166 squadrons in 17 districts with an ongoing mandate to teach proper boating skills, including more recently, required qualifications for the safe boating card.
“We want everybody out there to be safe,” said Hicks. “We’ve trained a lot of people over the years, not just in Tillsonburg, but all across Canada.”
To commemorate the CPS’s 75th year, two specially-designed anniversary flags began cross-Canada voyages Sunday, May 5 at the Windsor Yacht Club, hand-delivered by United States Power Squadron (USPS) Chief Commander John Alter to CPS Chief Commander Richard Bee. Following a blessing by Father John Fraser, speeches and a symbolic dip in the Detroit River, they began separate essentially land-based journeys in opposite directions.
One flag will head west, passed from squadron to squadron, ultimately toward its destination on Vancouver Island. The other began heading east toward Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula. Logbooks are accompanying each flag, to be signed be members en route.
The ‘eastern’ flag’s journey took it through St. Thomas and into the hands of the Tillsonburg Power and Sail Squadron Thursday (May 9) around supper time. With TPSS Commander Eric Hatzenbuhler on the DL (disabled list), Joan and husband Larry Hicks (CPS Director, Past District Commander and TPSS Training Officer) were pleased to pinch-hit on behalf of Hatzenbuhler, and their local squadron’s 270 members.
“Power squadron is something we’re very passionate about,” said Joan, who along with Larry, have a combined 59 merit marks, each representative of a minimum 20 volunteer hours per year.
TPSS members had roughly a 24-hour opportunity to both sign the logbook and have a photo taken with the flag before its passage onward to Port Dover’s squadron, scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday.
“They’re not letting us keep it very long,” said Joan.
Following their cross-Canada tours, the flags will be reunited Saturday, October 26 at the CPS AGM in Toronto, the culmination of 75th anniversary events.
The Hicks participated in a similar 50th anniversary celebration 25 years ago, were at the flags’ 75th anniversary launch and intend to be there this fall for their reunion.
“We’re quite happy to be a part of it,” Joan concluded.
One flag will ultimately be retained by the CPS, the other travel to the USPS 100th anniversary celebration in January, 2014 as a gesture of respect for the part that organization played in the foundation of its Canadian cousin.