HMCS Vancouver reconnects with their community charity
By Lookout Production on May 20, 2023 with Comments 0
(Holding photo frame) Honour House President and Honorary Colonel of the 15th Field Artillery Regiment Al De Genova. Photo: Honour House Society
Peter Mallett, Staff Writer — A flag that flew atop HMCS Vancouver as it sailed across the Pacific Ocean has returned to its original owners.
The bright blue flag proudly fluttered aboard the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) warship during last year’s five-month deployment in Operation Projection in the Indo-Pacific region. It belongs to Honour House, the ship’s official charity, which provides vital support programs for military members, first responders and veterans.
Returning the flag was part of a goodwill gesture, says Commander (Cdr) Meghan Coates, the ship’s Commanding Officer.
“Our ship’s charity provides amazing support and lodging to our members in their time of need,” Cdr Coates said. “I was very excited to host Honour House and present the flag to them.”
Al De Genova, Hounour House President and founder, and Larry Campbell, one of the charity’s most prominent supporters and former Canadian Senator, visited Esquimalt during the expansive two-month-long Tour of Honour. From Apr. 4 to June 10, De Genova and his staff are making tour stops in 54 destinations in British Columbia and the Yukon while travelling in a large green camouflage Humvee.
When planning his province-wide tour, Esquimalt was the first destination to come to mind, says De Genova.
“We are here to help the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members in difficult times,” says De Genova. “Our visit to CFB Esquimalt was another chance to educate people about the programs and supports we provide.”
They also met with members of the Esquimalt Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) and military families, 4 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, and Base Commander Capt(N) J. Jeffrey Hutchinson.
De Genova created Honour House in 2008 following discussions with General Rick Hillier, former Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, and Rear-Admiral Tyrone Pile that focused on the many occupational-related injuries facing military members.
“The General came to me, gave me a four-star challenge coin, and said, ‘I challenge you to make this work’,” De Genova said. “Never challenge an Italian to do something, I told myself, and the rest is history.”
De Genova says the reward for all his recent hard work is seeing the successful start-up of Honour Ranch and the 13,000 nights of accommodation that Honour House has provided.
De Genova wears the beret of the Canadian Army Reserves and has worked in an outreach capacity as Honorary Colonel for the 15th Field Artillery Regiment for the past nine years. He estimates he and his staff will cover thousands of kilometres as they stop at Royal Canadian Legion branches, military bases, police and Canadian Rangers detachments, and ambulance and fire stations in the cities, towns, and villages they visit. The Tour of Honour also made other stops on Vancouver Island, including Duncan and Nanaimo (Apr. 26), Comox and Courtenay (Apr. 27), and Campbell River (Apr. 28).
For more information about Honour House and the Tour of Honour, visit honourhouse.ca.
A 2005 GMC Hummer and box trailer parked in front of Honour House in New Westminster, B.C. The City of New Westminster Police Department loaned the vehicle and trailer to the Honour House Society for its ongoing tour of B.C. and the Yukon. Photo: Honour House Society.
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