​Kincardine Lions donate AED in memory of veteran Norman MacDonald

The Kincardine and District Lions Club has donated an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in memory of Kincardine veteran Norman Stewart MacDonald.

The presentation was made Thursday morning at the Bruce Inn in downtown Kincardine, with MacDonald’s descendants, and representatives of the Lions, Kincardine Legion, South Bruce OPP and the Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund, in attendance.

Kincardine Lion Phil Thompkins (right), who spearheaded this project, said he began investigating the procurement of an AED in November, with the idea that it would be available at the Bruce Inn where the Lions hold their business meetings, as well as at community events, such as Canada Day, the Massed Band, Blues Festival, and so on.

Thompkins contacted the OPP and began collaborating with sergeant Patrick Armstrong (a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces) who is executive director and founder of the Dave Mounsey Memorial Fundl The fund was created to honour OPP constable Mounsey who died Nov. 13, 2006, from injuries sustained in a collision while responding to a call. The mission of the fund is to donate life-saving defibrillators to public access buildings and companies in the name of fallen law enforcement, fire, emergency services, and military members killed in the line of duty.



Patrick Armstrong (left) of the Dave Mounsey Foundation and Kincardine Lion Phil Thompkins present the AED donation; in the back, is Kincardine Lion Linda Norminton

The Kincardine Legion provided the name of a Second World War veteran, Norman Stewart MacDonald, who made the ultimate sacrifice Oct. 1, 1944, in France. He was the son of Kenneth and Mary MacDonald of Kincardine; husband of Marianne, and father of Mary Ann; brother of Neil, Roger, Raymond, Kenneth, George, Wallace, Graham, Jean, Helen, Peggy, Patsy and Maxime; and he has relatives who still reside in Kincardine. His daughter’s grandfather's brother was Bert Fyfe, a founding member of the Kincardine Pipe Band in 1908.

In making the donation, Thursday, Thompkins said the AED will be housed at the Bruce Inn and available for the Lions meetings and community events.

Armstrong thanked everyone for contributing to this project, including the Lions and the Legion.

“This is the 218th AED donation made by the Dave Mounsey Foundation,” he said. “We started donating about four per year, and now we’re donating 30 per year. To date, seven lives have been saved, thanks to these devices.”

Mike Coleman, grandson of Norman MacDonald, thanked everyone involved in commemorating his grandfather through this project.

“He died in France during the Second World War but his connection to Kincardine is huge,” he said. “We’re proud to be here and pleased that he will be remembered through this AED and the saving of lives.”



On hand for the donation of the AED, are Craig (left) and Kelly Kirkconnell of the Bruce Inn; Norman MacDonald descendants Bruce and Ginny Ross, Leith MacDonald, Jamie Rowe, Shari MacDonald, Patrick Armstrong (of the Dave Mounsey Foundation), Mike Coleman, and in front, Nanci MacDonald (left) and Lynda MacKenzie; Kincardine Lions Linda Norminton, Dennis Flavell, Helen Gitter-Flavell, Linda and Jim Prenger, Peter Wolfe, Paul Kozma, John McManus and in front, Phil Thompkins; Kincardine Legion president Teri Leslie, and South Bruce OPP constable Matthew Thorpe and sergeant John Hardy