David “Dave” Perreault, FHG 1930, passed away suddenly on September 18 at the age of 41. Dave joined the Guard in 2003, and was a licensed carpenter with the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board for several years. Dave had joined the Tech Ed Program at Queen’s with the goal of becoming a trades teacher, and was well known for his humour, kindness, and friendship.
We extend our sincere condolences to Dave’s wife Jillian, and their children Jack and Josephine, on their loss.
We are saddened to learn of the passing of Joseph Adrien Auger Langlois, FHG 403 on June 17 at the age of 86. “Tic” joined the Guard in 1959, and had a long and distinguished teaching career. He is remembered in particular for his dedication to sports, and he coached student athletes in several sports, including football, track and field, volleyball, gymnastics and curling. In 2019, he was inducted into the Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame. He also served on the Board of the Fort Henry Guard Club of Canada from 2008 to 2013.
We extend our sincere condolences to Adrien’s family and friends.
The annual Fort Henry Guard Awards Night will take place on Tuesday, August 27 at 7:00 pm at Fort Henry’s Great Hall. One of the Guard Club’s signature events, the members of the year’s Fort Henry Guard and staff from Fort Henry will gather to celebrate the accomplishments of their friends and colleagues.
We wish all of this year’s nominees the best of luck, and congratulate them on a fantastic summer. And special thanks to all of the donors who contributed to the awards this year – your generosity is much appreciated by all.
The Annual General Meeting of the Fort Henry Guard Club of Canada will be held on Tuesday, August 27 at 4:30 pm. This year’s AGM will use a hybrid format, and members can either participate in person at the Fort Henry Great Hall or on-line via Zoom.
You can register for the event by clicking here. We will send out the agenda, reports, and Zoom link to all who have registered in advance of the AGM. All FHGCC members in good standing are eligible to attend.
Please be advised that special resolutions will be considered at this year’s Annual General Meeting, to bring the Club into compliance with the new Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, as advised by the Club’s solicitor. Whether you are able to attend the AGM or not, you may access PDF versions of the special resolutions by clicking each of the links below. If you have any questions or comments about the resolutions, please contact me at president.fhgcc@gmail.com
Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules, but these days there’s none that can compare with the dedicated students who comprise the Fort Henry Guard of 2024.
The Drums, Squad, and Domestic Interpreters are filling Fort Henry with the familiar sounds of fifes and drums, rifle and artillery fire, school bells and voices of command. The first performance of the summer is just a week away.
Speaking of Hector and Lysander, the rebuilding of the Guard has been no small effort on the part of the SLPC and Fort management. And the FHG Foundation has provided meaningful support through the Commitment to Excellence Award, which recognizes the hard work of the dedicated students who have returned to take on leadership roles.
Thanks to donations from many former Guard, the Foundation has awarded close to $35,000 to returning staff over the past two years. I can’t tell you how proud I felt when we surprised the 2022 Guard with these cash awards at the annual awards night, and how much of a difference it made in retaining experienced staff in 2023.
Won’t you help us continue to recognize the vital efforts of these young leaders by supporting these awards again in 2024?
And, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a generous former Guard (and proud member of the Squad), up to a total of $8,000! Thanks to their lead gift and your donation, the staff who came back to the Fort this summer will know just how steady we Old Guard are in our support.
To have your donation doubled, please choose one of the payment options outlined on our Donate page. And remember that you’ll receive a 2024 tax receipt for your donation.
Every contribution, large or small, helps sustain the tradition of excellence that has existed at Fort Henry for decades. Thank you for giving today!
Mark Staveley recently made a special presentation at Seattle’s Fire Station 37, and he invited us to share a copy of his speech. Mark (FHG 1655) was a member of the Guard in the 1990s, and last October, he had a sudden cardiac arrest while walking between Amazon buildings in downtown Seattle. His story is quite remarkable, and we’re so happy that Mark is doing well and wanted to share this with members of the Guard Club.
Mark Staveley presents an FHG challenge coin to Firefighter Jay Roughton. Photo: Firedog Photos
Good morning members of Seattle Fire. Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is Mark Staveley and I am a Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivor. I was saved by members of Seattle Fire on October 24th 2023 who responded to the 911 call that was made on my behalf, as I collapsed in the street walking between Amazon buildings at the close of my workday.
Firefighter Jay Roughton was the first on the scene, and he quickly realized that the initial call diagnosis of head injury and possible overdose was incorrect. I was agonal breathing and life-saving CPR was initiated – upgrading my call to a MED7.
I am here speaking with you today in part as a sudden cardiac arrest survivor, but also as a former member of the Fort Henry Guard. Founded in 1938, the Fort Henry Guard is a ceremonial guard unit that is based out of Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
The Guard is renowned for how they bring to life the military drill and tactics of the mid-1800’s. The Guard has performed at numerous events and ceremonies in Canada and abroad since its founding, most notably the Royal Tournament in England, and with the United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, the Commandant’s Own Drum and Bugle Corps, and Battle Color Detachment at Marine Barracks 8th and I in Washington D.C.
The cross-border military friendship between the Fort Henry Guard and the United States Marine Corps started in 1954 as both units were brought together to honor the Ogdensburg agreement that was signed in 1940. The Ogdensburg Agreement was a document signed in 1940 by President Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King, binding Canada and the United States committing to the joint defense of North America.
Since then, the special friendship between the Fort Henry Guard and the United States Marine Corps has grown. There are regular cross-border trips between Fort Henry and Marine Barracks Washington D.C. where these two units parade together.
One of my most significant memories of my time in the Guard was being on parade and inspected by General Mundy who was the 30th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.
You may not realize this, but I’m not the only one here today with a connection to the United States Marine Corps. Firefighter Jay Roughton was a Sgt with the United States Marine Corps, 1st Marine Division.
I was kind of blown away when I found this out, as a former member of the Fort Henry Guard and knowing the special bond that we have with the United States Marine Corps, and to then to have my life saved by a Marine was an extra level of connection and significance that wasn’t lost on me.
Like many different military units, the Fort Henry Guard has various traditions. One of these traditions is to issue a Fort Henry Guard Challenge Coin to each member of the Fort Henry Guard. On one side is the Fort Henry Guard regimental crest, and on the other side is the person’s Guard Number.
Normally, the only way to get one of these coins is to be a member of the Fort Henry Guard. However, I talked to the Fort Henry Guard Club about my story. Explaining how my life was saved by Jay and his connection to the United States Marine Corps. An exception was made, and a second Fort Henry Guard coin was issued with my Guard number on it for Firefighter Roughton.
On behalf of the Fort Henry Guard, and the Fort Henry Guard Club I would like to present this coin to Firefighter Roughton, and extend to you their sincerest and most heart-felt appreciation for saving my life.
Please be advised that the Fort Henry Guard Club of Canada’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 27, 2024 at 4:30 pm. As with previous years, members can participate in person at Fort Henry’s Great Hall, or online via Zoom. Registration details will be shared shortly.
For a copy of this year’s FHGCC nomination list, please click here.
We were saddened to learn of the passing of David Masotti (FHG 1180) on May 23, 2024 in Toronto at the age of 61.
Dave joined the Fort Henry Guard in 1982 while studying Electrical Engineering at Queen’s University. A few years later, he pursued an MBA at Harvard University, and then embarked on a remarkable career as an entrepreneur and business leader. Named to Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, his many accomplishments included being President of Rogers Telecom and President and COO of Chemtrade Logistics. Dave also volunteered on numerous boards, and was a mentor to many up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
We extend our sincere condolences to Dave’s family and friends, and to those who marched beside him in the 1980s.
