INGLESIDE, Ontario – The Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH) Foundation had a great turnout at their first Family Fun Day fundraiser in Ingleside on Saturday, Sept. 21.
“Events like these are important to raise awareness for the hospital,” said event organizer Cindy Peters. “The province doesn’t pay for equipment so that money has to be raised through community support, like you’re seeing today.”
The highlight of the event was the ride of the OPP’s precision motorcycle demonstration team, The Golden Helmets. The team is made up of OPP Constables from detachments from across the province, including one member from the SD&G detachment, Cst. Ivan Lalonde.
“This is the most positive police and public interaction you’ll see,” he said.
Cst. Lalonde is a 24 year veteran of the police force. He began working as a motorcycle police officer in 2006 and joined the Golden Helmets in 2015.
“It isn’t easy to get in (to the Golden Helmets) but it has been the best time of my career,” said Lalonde.
The Golden Helmets took to the pavement of Dickinson Dr. in Ingleside at 1 p.m. and performed a series of complex precision manoeuvres.
The team performs around 15 times a year, and this is the first time in roughly 20 years that they have come to Eastern Ontario.
