It’s that time again FORE the CPA Golf Tournament!

This year, the Calgary Police Association’s annual Andrew Harnett Golf Tournament will be held on August 15th, 2024.

The John Petropoulos Memorial Fund (JPMF) is looking for a few volunteers to chip in…selling raffle tickets to golfers. Proceeds from raffle tickets sales are kindly donated to the JPMF.

Here are the tournament details:

When: Thursday August 15th, 2024

Where: Heritage Pointe Golf Course (DeWinton)                       

Shifts: There is only one round of golf being played this year, so we only need volunteers for one afternoon shift.

Duties: Volunteers will set up off the greens of par 3 holes, where they will watch for hole-in-ones (big prizes are up for grabs for any golfer who makes a hole-in-one). Volunteers will also sell raffle tickets and 50/50 tickets to golfers.

Contact: If you’d like to help out, please e-mail Harleigh at harleigh@jpmf.ca. 

Other details: Dress for this event is casual and volunteers are asked to be prepared for a variety of weather conditions: please bring a hat, sunscreen, water bottle, bug spray and a foldable chair.

Thanks so much!

About Const. John Petropoulos

Calgary Police Const. John Petropoulos died on Sept 29th, 2000. John was investigating a break and enter complaint when he stepped through a false ceiling, fell nine feet into the lunchroom below and died of a brain injury. There was no safety railing to warn him of the danger; the complaint turned out to be a false alarm. He was 32.

The John Petropoulos Memorial Fund was started shortly after John’s death by members of his recruit class. The JPMF is a Canadian charity that raises public awareness about workplace safety issues and educates people about why & how to ensure their workplaces and the roads are safer for everyone, including emergency responders.

Please visit jpmf.ca for details.

About Sgt Andrew Harnett

Calgary Police Sgt. Andrew Harnett, 37, was killed in the line of duty on New Years Eve 2020.

Hallo! We hope this note finds you safe, happy & healthy!

On Sept 26th, 2023, I (Maryanne Pope, John’s widow) was very honoured to receive the Community Leader Award (Gold) from OHS Canada magazine for my workplace safety efforts with the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund over the years.

Although I couldn’t attend the award ceremony in Toronto, here is the short video I whipped up (1-min).

Here is the interview article in OHS Canada magazine, written by Todd Humber :

A legacy of love: Maryanne Pope turns tragedy into advocacy through JPMF

Community Leader Award

Gold: Maryanne Pope, John Petropoulos Memorial Fund
Silver: Trina Hayden, Norcat
Silver: Tanya Kowalenko, FortisBC

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On Sept. 29, 2000, Const. John Petropoulos of the Calgary Police Service was called to investigate a break-and-enter at a warehouse.

While on the mezzanine level, the four-year-veteran stepped onto what he believed was a study floor — but it was a false ceiling. He fell nine feet into the lunchroom below, landing on a chair and striking his head.

Petropoulos was 32. His wife, Maryanne Pope, was also 32. They had been together for 12 years, and married for four.

“I was beyond devastated, I suppose just shattered,” said Pope. “You know, we were just like a normal couple one day and then I’m holding his hand in the ICU as he dies of a brain injury.”

She didn’t know what to do next, and his colleagues were at a loss. Shortly after, one of his police recruit classmates reached out to Pope with an idea. They were going to create a pen, with his regimental number, and sell them to police officers, family and friends to raise money.

“They raised about $10,000. And they said, ‘When you’re in some sort of semblance of shape emotionally and mentally, and you feel like you can handle this, let’s get together and meet and we’ll decide what to do with the money,’” she said.

That led to the launch of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund (JPMF). This year, Pope was named winner of the 2023 Community Leader Award as part of OHS Honours for her incredible work and that of the foundation in his name.

Originally, JPMF focused on the question: “How safe is your workplace for emergency responders?” With increasing activities in construction sites and other high-risk areas, the foundation initially aimed to address safety issues faced by paramedics, firefighters, and police officers. However, workplace safety statistics prompted the organization to broaden its scope.

“We wanted to raise public education and teach the public how to think about workplace safety from the perspective of first responders who might be in their premise and not familiar with the surroundings,” said Pope.

She said it’s “incredible” to see the light bulb go off when someone hears what happened to her husband and other first responders…

Read full article in OHS Canada magazine.

We shall never forget our fallen.

Calgary Volunteers Needed for Annual Golf Tourney

The Calgary Police Association’s 2023 Andrew Harnett  Memorial Golf Tournament is coming up & the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund (JPMF) is looking for a few volunteers to chip in…selling raffle tickets to golfers.

Proceeds from raffle tickets sales are kindly donated to the JPMF.

Here are the tournament deets:

When: Thursday August 17th, 2023

Where: Heritage Pointe Golf Course (DeWinton)                       

Shifts: The morning shift runs from 7 am until 1 pm and the afternoon shift starts at noon and ends around 6 pm.

Duties: Volunteers will set up off the greens of par 3 holes, where they will watch for hole-in-ones (big prizes are up for grabs for any golfer who makes a hole-in-one). Volunteers will also sell raffle tickets and 50/50 tickets to golfers.

Contact: If you’d like to help out, please e-mail Harleigh at harleighatkinson@gmail.com. 

Other details: Dress for this event is casual and volunteers are asked to be prepared for a variety of weather conditions: please bring a hat, sunscreen, water bottle, bug spray and a foldable chair.

Thanks so much!

About Const. John Petropoulos

Calgary Police Constable John Petropoulos died on Sept 29th, 2000. John was investigating a break and enter complaint when he stepped through a false ceiling, fell nine feet into the lunchroom below and died of a brain injury. There was no safety railing to warn him of the danger; the complaint turned out to be a false alarm. He was 32.

The John Petropoulos Memorial Fund was started shortly after John’s death by members of his recruit class. The JPMF is a Canadian charity that raises public awareness about workplace safety issues and educates people about why & how to ensure their workplaces and the roads are safer for everyone, including emergency responders.

About Sgt Andrew Harnett

Calgary Police Sgt. Andrew Harnett, 37, was killed in the line of duty on New Years Eve 2020.

Casino Volunteers Needed in Calgary May 15 & 16

It’s that time again!

The JPMF will be having our next casino in Calgary on Monday May 15th & Tuesday May 16th, 2023.

The casino is, by far, our biggest fundraiser…so if you are able to help out, that would be very much appreciated!

Here are the deets:

Location: Pure Casino Calgary (NE)

Volunteer shifts (same for both days):

#1) 11:00 am to 7:30 pm

#2) 6:30 pm to 3:30 am

#3) 11:00pm to 3:30 am

No experience or special skills are needed.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Maryanne at maryanne@jpmf.ca.

Thank you!!

About the JPMF

The JPMF was started shortly after the death of Calgary Police Constable John Petropoulos on Sept 29th, 2000. John was investigating a break and enter complaint when he stepped through a false ceiling, fell nine feet into the lunchroom below and died of a brain injury. There was no safety railing to warn him of the danger; the complaint turned out to be a false alarm.

John was 32.

The JPMF is a registered Canadian charity that raises public awareness about workplace safety issues and educates people about why & how to ensure their workplaces and the roads are safer for everyone, including emergency responders. For further information, please visit jpmf.ca.

 

“That beautiful face will never get to grow older. It is frozen in time.”

– Elisa Kilbourne, Jeremy’s mother

Jeremy Bowley had a promising future ahead.

He was twenty-one going into his final year of criminology at King’s University College. His dream job was a career in law enforcement.

Jeremy loved all things related to the outdoors: camping, hunting, fishing, and sports.

But baseball…that was his passion. Jeremy had a natural talent and a love for pitching. He became one of the top pitchers in his division and continued to excel throughout his years in ball. His determination allowed him to do well in many endeavors.

“He had a competitive streak that was a mile wide,” says his mom Elisa. “But he managed to hide it very well…never saying a bad thing about a teammate, coach or officiant.”

To help fund his university education, Jeremy took a summer job at a local company installing party tents. He was thrilled to have a job that was outdoors requiring physical work. He thrived in this element.

This work environment, however, turned out to be a very unsafe one. 

On August 1, 2013, Jeremy’s mom’s world was shattered.

After watching a concerning news story about a workplace incident in the area where Jeremy was working (near Watford, Ontario), later that evening Elisa opened the front door to a police officer who delivered devastating information. Jeremy had been killed on the job. He had been electrocuted while putting up a large event tent.

What Went Wrong? 

Jeremy and five crew members were installing a big tent for a rural wedding when a pole they were erecting from under the tent canopy came in contact with an overhead hydro line. Jeremy was fatally electrocuted. Four other young people sustained life-altering injuries.

Before this summer job, the crew was not given any hazard awareness training.

No education was provided on the danger of power lines.

There were no supervisors on site.

Sadly, there was no safety training provided to the young summer workers.

After a full investigation, charges were laid against the employer. The company was ordered to pay a fine to the municipality.

Tragically, Jeremy’s death was entirely preventable.

                                                                                                     “You never expect to endure the distress, disbelief & disorientation of planning a funeral for your 21-year-old son.”

– Elisa Kilbourne

After this tragic, devastating, and preventable incident, Jeremy’s family wants every young person to know the dangers of working around electricity.

One cannot assume young people are aware of the various hazards associated with power lines. Sadly, numerous people agreed on where this party tent should be placed. No one noticed the danger of the power line.

Jeremy’s mom Elisa encourages everyone to share this message: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Every employer, supervisor and employee needs to know they have a right to:

#1. Know

#2. Participate

#3. Refuse…and stop unsafe work and not feel threatened that they will lose their job.

If you are the parent of a young worker and would like some ideas on how to talk to your child about workplace safety, please visit MissingTim.ca.

There is an excellent downloadable resource guide called, “Your Kids & Job Safety.”

And why does the Missing Tim organization exist in the first place? Because Tim Hamilton died in 1999 at the age of 19…in the same way as Jeremy Bowley.

Yes, you read correctly.

One young worker’s death from electrocution while putting up a party tent is completely unacceptable. Two deaths are unfathomable.

Is this the workplace safety legacy we want to be building in Canada?

 

Since 2000, more than 20,0000 Canadians have died as a result of their work.

Here is the link to view a short video that highlights a few of the faces behind the stats.

About the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund

The JPMF was started after the death of Calgary Police Constable John Petropoulos on Sept 29th, 2000. John was investigating a break and enter complaint when he stepped through a false ceiling, fell nine feet into the lunchroom below and died of a brain injury. There was no safety railing to warn him of the danger; the complaint turned out to be a false alarm.

John was 32.

The JPMF is a registered Canadian charity that raises public awareness about workplace safety issues and educates people about why and how to ensure their workplaces and the roads are safer for everyone, including emergency responders. For further information, please visit jpmf.ca.

To help raise awareness about workplace safety and provide support for others dealing with workplace tragedies, Jeremy Bowley’s mom, Elisa Kilbourne, works with the Threads of Life Association for Workplace Tragedy Family Support as a mentor, public speaker, and Family Guide volunteer.

Thank you for caring…and sharing this on social media ♥

When it comes to raising awareness about workplace safety, we all need to step up to the plate…so that what happened to Jeremy and Tim doesn’t happen to anyone else.

 

“In the early morning hours of January 7th, 2015, Paul was found in the back of the hopper, lodged in the auger, frozen solid.”

– Virginia Campeau, Paul Campeau’s widow

Together forever until the ship sinks…

That’s what Virginia Campeau and her husband, Paul, always said to each other. In 2012, they met at work and began dating. From that point on, Virginia knew she would spend the rest of her life with him.

“Paul was a caring, passionate, and humble man,” says Virginia. They married in 2014. Paul had a deep love for his wife, family, friends, and dog, Baloo.

Paul and Virginia

In January 2015, it wasn’t a sinking ship that tore Paul and Virginia apart – it was a jammed auger in the back of the sand truck Paul was working in. Paul was driving a sand truck, maintaining the roads for winter. He was working alone on a bitterly cold day. When it was freezing outside, there were issues with the auger getting jammed.

Paul’s life was tragically cut short at the age of forty-five.

On January 6th, 2015, Paul left for work like every other day…

“We kissed and said, ‘I love you,’ to each other for the last time,” says Paul’s widow, Virginia.

“In the back of the sand truck there was a hopper with an auger inside,” Virginia explains. “Paul was working alone at the time, so no one really knows what happened, nor do I have a time of death.”

What Virginia does know is this:

In the early morning hours of January 7th, 2015 Paul was found in the back of the sand truck, lodged in the auger, frozen solid. There was a shovel nearby.CLICK TO TWEET

“I will never know the exact time Paul took his last breath, or what exactly happened, but I do know the truck he was driving had experienced similar issues in the past.”

– Virginia Campeau

“When it was really cold outside,” Virginia says, “there had been issues with the auger getting jammed, which prevented the sand from filtering through. They had been using a shovel as a temporary solution to get the sand through – and the auger moving again. A replacement part was on order but hadn’t come in yet. If it did, maybe things would have turned out differently.”

After Paul’s frozen body was discovered, the truck had to be dismantled and one of Paul’s legs had to be amputated below the knee, so they could free him.

Paul Campeau

What went wrong?

Because Paul was working alone at the time, we will never know for sure. But we do know this: there was no safety cover on the back of the hopper to protect Paul. Plus, while waiting for the replacement part to arrive, he was dealing with malfunctioning machinery.

“Workplace safety is non-negotiable. There is no coming back from a workplace fatality. You have the right to say no to unsafe working conditions. And you have the right to come home to the ones you love.”

– Virginia Campeau

“What I miss the most about Paul,” says Virginia, “is the wink he would give me signaling that everything would be okay…and having his arms around me at night, feeling safe and falling asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.”

Virginia holding a photo of Paul

Paul’s life ended in tragedy. And Virginia was left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and the shattered dreams for the future they had planned together. This is not the way either of them – or their loved ones – wanted their love story to end.

Whether you are an employee, an employer, or a business owner, please make workplace safety your top priority. 

Safety must come first…because fatalities are forever.CLICK TO TWEET

Here is the link to view the 2-min video about Paul Campeau. 

A little bit more about Paul Campeau…

Paul was born in Shawville, Quebec, and was the youngest of three children. When he was young, his family moved to Red Lake Ontario where he grew up. Paul had many loves including his family, his dog, Baloo, and his many friends. He loved Monte Carlo cars, driving his semi-truck, and watching Nascar racing.

To help raise awareness about workplace safety and provide support for others dealing with workplace tragedies, Virginia is a speaker with the Threads of Life Association for Workplace Tragedy Family Support.

Here is the link to read Virginia’s Threads of Life article, “The Day Life Shattered.”

Since 2000, more than 20,000 Canadians have died as a result of their work – either from an occupational illness or injuries sustained on the job.

Is this the legacy we want to be building?

About the JPMF

The JPMF was started after the death of Calgary Police Constable John Petropoulos on September 29th, 2000. John was investigating a break-and-enter complaint when he stepped through a false ceiling, fell nine feet into the lunchroom below, and died of a brain injury. There was no safety railing to warn him of the danger; the complaint turned out to be a false alarm.

John was 32.

The JPMF is a registered Canadian charity that raises public awareness about workplace safety issues and educates people about why and how to ensure their workplaces and the roads are safer for everyone, including emergency responders. For further information, please visit jpmf.ca.