Hello Cliff, wonder
if you might be willing expand our connects in regards to this project. If you
forward this to you own mailing, be much
appreciated.
?
Steven? VE3PTA
?
?
Good
day everyone, below is a proposal for Heritage Statue Project Fern Blodgett
Sunde, the first female “Sparks” to serve active duty during
WWII
?
To
be placed at a town-approved location in Cobourg’s Victoria Park in 2020.?
They plan to have a booth/stall at the upcoming July 1st Annual Water Front
Festival in Cobourg. It’s a three day event so we will be arranging for our
stall to be “staffed” with volunteers for most of the time.
?
Below
is a URL site with a nice write up and photos of Fern and you
accomplishments.
?
?
Below
is a conversation I been having with the promoters of this
memorial.
?
Steven
VE3PTA
Good
Morning Steven,
?
Thank
you for calling yesterday concerning our request for assistance from the
Peterborough Amateur Radio Club. Below is an e-mail to me from Leona Woods here
in Cobourg introducing me to the project last year. The will help you with some
background.
As
I indicated in our telephone conversation, we hope to have a statue designed and
installed on a town-approved location in Cobourg’s Victoria Park, with a
dedication ceremony to take place late 2020.
At
this time, we have some funds raised and to help that along and also provide
more public awareness, we plan to have a booth/stall at the upcoming July 1st
Annual Water Festival in Cobourg. It’s a three day event so we will be arranging
for our stall to be “staffed” with volunteers for most of the time.
With
respect to assistance from you club and given the fact that Fern Blodgett was a
Wireless Operator (Sparks), the following are some thoughts for? your
consideration:
?
1.
Help with a two-three hour demonstration wherever you could over the three day
July 1st week-end, using live Morse Code or a display of vintage radio gear from
around the WW2 era. We are open, of course, to any suggestions your club might
have. To that end, we could arrange for you to meet with Leona and I at your
convenience. At this time power might be an issue at our Stall.
2.
Perhaps provide some PR support to our project through your net-work of amateur
radio clubs. I think there might even be a few “Sparks” still around who might
have even been part of the WW2 North Atlantic operation.
3.
Form part of our official dedication ceremony, utilizing live Morse
transmissions. I will be using my Morse code key (trainer) and can help out re
transmitting in code, as a former certified Class 2 licensed Radio Operator from
the 50s.
?
The
foregoing are just my thoughts for now until we hear back re your upcoming June
4th Meeting of your club. If you would like Leona and/or me to attend your
meeting, that can be arranged, or perhaps you could meet with us before the
meeting here.
Thank
you for taking this introduction on,
73s,
?
Art
Seymour,
Cobourg.
905-3730312
?
?
?
Begin
forwarded message:
?
From:
"leonawoods" <leonawoods@...>??
Subject:
Fw: Heritage project Fern Blodgett Sunde??
Date:
November 1, 2018 at 8:25:03 AM EDT??
To:
"Art Seymour" <ayseymour@...>??
?
Art
– this is the first connection regarding Fern Blodgett Sunde, from Debra Dupuis
who has been [part of public service projects in the past and came across the
Fern Blodgett Sunde Story that captured her imagination, and the imagination of
the sculptor Tyler Fauvelle. I was familiar with the story from the Sifton Cook
exhibit a few years ago covering Cobourg’s military history. I will send you the
links and some additional articles in a few moments
Leona
?
From:
D A Dupuis
Sent:
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 2:53 PM
To:
Leona Woods
Subject:
Heritage project Fern Blodgett Sunde
?
Dear
Ms. Woods:??Further
to a voice mail left today, here is a little more information.
??I
am a volunteer grant writer based in Sudbury, Ontario, who has worked with a
professional sculptor (Tyler Fauvelle) on Canadian heritage projects.?
Although his work is mainly ?commissioned,
done at arm's-length, every two-three years or so, he will find a special
project, and ask me to help with the fundraising.? The last project we
worked?on
was the Francis Pegahmagabow commemorative monument at the Stockey Centre
(waterfront, Parry Sound).? You can go to or go to the?project
Facebook page
to see the results.? ??We
happened to come across the fascinating story of Fern Blodgett Sunde (who grew
up in Cobourg), and knew that this was a story more Canadians should know about.
??Are
you familiar with her story?? She was the first woman to serve as a
wireless radio operator at sea.? After being refused by two training
schools, she was accepted?at
a third, and graduated in 1941.? She was offered a job on a Norwegian
merchant vessel, but when she arrived in Montreal, the ship's young captain was
taken aback.? He hadn't realized that "F. Blodgett" was a woman. Since
Norway had no regulations for or against women serving, and the ship desperately
needed a "sparks" (wireless radio operator),?the
Mosdale sailed with her aboard.? ??This
was during the Battle of the Atlantic, and it was incredibly dangerous
work.? The vast majority of losses were merchant ships.? Despite
seasickness and the peril, Fern stayed at?her
post, carrying out her duties bravely and well during 78 Atlantic crossings. A
year after joining the Mosdale's crew, Fern married Captain Sunde.? Their
wartime efforts were ?recognized
in 1943, when King Haakon of Norway presented them both with the Norwegian War
Medal.? Fern Blodgett Sunde, the Canadian "Sparks", was the first woman
ever to ?receive
that honour.??We
are hoping to put together a citizens' committee to spearhead the project, which
would consist of a bronze monument, plaque, and public unveiling in 2019.?
The main ?objectives
of the commemoration are to:?-???
honour Fern Blodgett Sunde as the first woman wireless radio operator to serve
at sea, a pioneer in the advancement of women;?-???
honour and educate about Canadian and Allied merchant mariners' essential role
during the Battle of the Atlantic; and?-???
promote science and technology as a career path for youth, particularly girls
and young women.??I
am in touch with Fern Sunde's two daughters, who both live in Norway, and with
family in Peterborough.? They strongly support the proposed commemoration,
and are presently gathering documents, photos, etc.??Dean
Hustwick (Director of Recreation and Culture), Chris Elliott (Manager of
Community Services), as well as Rob Franklin (Manager of Planning) are aware of
the project, and appear?supportive.?
However, as the Town's role would be limited to endorsement, approving a public
location, and perhaps providing in-kind services via public works, there
?has
to be a citizens' group struck to work on the commemoration.? I would be
willing to write the grants - there are very few monuments commemorating women's
wartime service. ??I
would be happy to send you a project outline, if you are interested.? Also,
it would be a pleasure to hear your comments and thoughts about the
commemoration.??Thank
you,??Debra
Dupuis?Fern
Blodgett Sunde Commemoration 2019?Sudbury?705-522-5511
Tim Pekkonen