From the Left: Back Row: Brandon Daynard, Karen Parker, Gregory Montgomery. Front Row: Bryce Stuart. Thompson Goddard photo
CHESTERVILLE – Members of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) crew working in the Chesterville area held a pumpkin carving contest on Halloween and raised $750. This money was presented to Karen Parker on Nov. 1 by Brandon Daynard and Gregory Montgomery, CPR production managers.
Montgomery told The Chesterville Record in an email that 15 pumpkins, provided to crew members after making a $20 donation to the fund, were carved during the evening. Some crew members provided donations only while participating in the Halloween event.
When asked how Montgomery and Daynard knew to contact her, Parker explained they had asked a staff member at Mike Dean Local Grocer and spoke to Andy Cotnam from TRU Hardware receiving the suggestion to contact her from both. Parker has been involved in several initiatives to raise funds for families facing emergency situations in the past.
Parker confirmed $250 had been provided to Tracy and Ian Porteous who recently experienced a devastating barn fire, the Bryce Stuart Trust Fund received $250 with Parker noting that Bryce had lost a foot in a lawnmower accident over a year ago, and the remaining $250 to Jessica and Chris Brown for medical care for their son Ben.
Carolyn Thompson Goddard, grew up in Chesterville and attended North Dundas District High School. After completing her BA in Political Science at Carleton University she has worked as a medical secretary and library technician. In 2020 she graduated from Algonquin College with a diploma in Journalism and has been a reporter and column writer for The Chesterville Record for over 10 years.
