Lift-Off 2009 dedicated to the memory of veteran board member

For only the second time in the thirteen year history of Kinsmen Cornwall Lift-Off, the City's signature summer festival will be dedicated to the memory of one of its longest serving volunteers. Veteran Board Member Ron Savard passed away suddenly in November 2008. In recognition of Savard's significant contributions to the Balloon Festival, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to dedicate Kinsmen Cornwall Lift-Off 2009 in his honour.

A retired Courtaulds employee, Savard wore many hats over more than 13 years of continuous service to Lift-Off. As the Director of Administration, he tended to many of the little details required to make the festival an ever growing success. As the Director of Operations, he coordinated the lay-out and the logistics of the Festival park. In recent years, Savard took on the responsibility of coordinating the activities of the Festival's popular VIP Tent.

Members of the Festival's Board of Directors remember Savard for his unwavering desire to offer Festival attendees value for their money. Festival Ambassador, Denis Lapierre recalls that the Board of Directors faced some very difficult decisions in some years, often needing several meetings to reach agreement on the future of the Festival. “You could always count on Ron to cast his vote based on the best interests of the Festival attendees”, said Lapierre.

Lapierre has fond memories of working with Savard. “I remember a time” recounts Lapierre, “when Ron showed up to the VIP Tent for a Board Meeting during the Festival, with his briefcase in hand. When I asked him what he carried around in that briefcase, he opened it and produced a hammer, tape measure and a screwdriver. He smiled and told me he wanted to be prepared, just in case he needed to fix something.”

In 2007, Kinsmen Cornwall Lift-Off was dedicated to the memory of Ron's spouse, Irma, who passed away in March of that year. Savard's two children remain actively involved on the Festival's Board of Directors. Chris Savard is the Festival Chair, while Rhonda (Savard) Simpson is a Director of Volunteers.

Cornwall Lift-Off was founded in 1994 and has since hosted back-to-back Canadian National Hot Air Balloon Championships in 1996 and 1997. The success of the festival has grown considerably from its modest beginnings in 1994. This year, an exciting assortment of live entertainment and fireworks will compliment the arrival of 25 hot air balloon teams. This year's festival will be held July 9-12 in Cornwall's scenic Lamoureux Park, and it is anticipated that the 2009 festival will attract between 50,000 to 55,000 spectators from Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec and Northern New York State.