ChrisPayne.ca

A very good friend of mine (we have known him for over 18 years now) just returned from his tour of Afghanistan and presented me with this absolutely amazing print. It is called Fallen Comrades (Task Force Afghanistan).

It is by Silvia Pecota (www.silviapecota.com) who has done some amazing works over the years dedicated to the Canadian Forces and more to The Canadian Army in general.

I was first exposed to her work during my tour of Bosnia-Herzegovina when I found a copy of a postcard she had made for the troops called “The True North Strong and Free” and was amazed at the technique used to create the images: combining oil painting with photography.

Silvia has been selected as an Artist for the Army (Canadian Forces Artist Program) and is apparently working on a book about the Canadian Soldier which I will definitely purchase when it becomes available.

Needless to say, the gift of this print had a very powerful and poignant effect on me. The detail is amazing on the print I have, if you take a close look (it was hard for me to see at first with the tears), but the helmet band on the soldiers kit left behind to convey the sense of a lost comrade, you can make out the date of 22-04-06 which is the date my brother was killed in action in Afghanistan.

On Sep 24th 2006, Corporal Randy Payne and Corporal Matthew Dinning will have their names added to the Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial which is located on Parliament Hill.

The Memorial Service is held each year to honour Peace and Police Officers who have died in the line of duty.

Currently there are over 600 police officers and over 100 peace officers on the Honour Roll.

For each of the last three years, over 5,000 people have attended the Services on Parliament Hill.

Information about the memorial service can be found on the Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial Association website.

Things are starting to look good as details and contracts get finalized for the Cpl Randy Payne’s Children Benefit Concert!

Corporal Randy Payne was killed on April 22, 2006 while serving in Afghanistan.
On 22 Sep 2006 at 5:00 PM, on Baker’s Island, CFB Trenton (open to the public),
country singer Julian Austin is putting on a benefit concert with all proceeds being donated to the education fund for my brothers children, Tristan and Jasmine.

Special guests include appearances by the Skyhawks (Canadian Forces Parachute Team), The McDonough Band and the Col Angus band.

More information can be found out by clicking on the logo above or click here http://www.corporalpayne.ca

Thank you very much.