Mounsey Fund makes 250th donation in Matthew Dinning's honour
BY SCOTT STEPHENSON
On April 22, the enduring legacies of two local heroes were brought together for a special dedication ceremony at the Wingham Legion.
On the 20th anniversary of Corporal Matthew Dinning’s death in Afghanistan, the Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund (DMMF) marked his memory with a major milestone: the dedication of its 250th community defibrillator, with this one going to the upper level of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 180.
DMMF Executive Director Patrick Armstrong addressed the gathered crowd. “Thank you, everybody, for being here,” he said. “I was very surprised, and thankful, when I pulled into the parking lot and saw so many vehicles,” he told them. “You’re all here to support Lincoln and Laurie, and to remember Matthew today, on the 20th anniversary of his passing… Matthew has such a legacy here in Wingham, and North Huron is where the Mounsey Fund started. Dave lived in Blyth, so really, this is the home of the DMMF.”
Armstrong noted that the life-saving legacies of soldier Matthew Dinning and police officer and volunteer firefighter Dave Mounsey have become an interwoven part of the fabric of the Huron County community. “Matthew Dinning was an integral part of the creation of the Mounsey Fund,” he explained. “It’s named after Dave, but there were a number of people who were part of the impetus to create the fund. The last act of kindness that Brenda and Dave did for the community was donating a defibrillator to the Blyth Fire Department,” he said.
After that selfless donation, the DMMF was launched in September of 2009. Its first defibrillator donation - made in Mounsey’s name - went to Blyth’s Memorial Hall. Its second community defibrillator was dedicated just weeks later, on Nov. 11, 2009, in Matthew’s memory. “I’m standing right in front of it,” Armstrong pointed out, gesturing to the device already installed on the Legion’s lower level. “It was dedicated then in memory of Matthew.”
In the years since then, the organization has continued to grow, and has now installed life-saving equipment in communities all across southwestern Ontario. “On behalf of the DMMF, we are lucky enough to be able to continue to honour Matthew, and any fallen fire, police, paramedic or military member killed in the line of duty,” Armstrong said. “We’re so thankful that we are able to install another defibrillator, and it just seems fitting to put it here.”
Matthew’s father, Lincoln Dinning, also addressed the gathering, wearing a tie that once belonged to Dave Mounsey - a not-so-subtle reminder of the connection between these two families. “We want to thank everybody for coming, and congratulations to Patrick and the DMMF for their 250th donation,” Lincoln told the crowd. “The defibrillators, as I understand, have saved seven lives over the years.” He went on to thank Dave’s partner at the time of his death, Brenda, and mother, Shirley, for being in attendance at the dedication.
Wingham Legion second Vice-President Dave Bourne expressed gratitude for the donation. “On behalf of Branch 180, I want to thank you for the donation,” he said. “Hopefully we never have to use it.”
This latest defibrillator, also dedicated to Matthew Dinning, will be installed on the Legion’s upper level, acting both as a practical investment in public safety and a symbolic continuation of both men’s mission to make their community a safer place.
Following the dedication ceremony, those in attendance remained for a reception luncheon.