Editor's Update: A charity account has been set up at TD Canada Trust, 723 Goderich Street, Port Elgin, for anyone wishing to make a donation. Account number 6330960, Branch number 3476.
Hub Staff
When Andy Stewart’s family lost their home to fire earlier this month, Constable Chris Shaidle with Saugeen Shores Police Service decided to step up. “Andy and I have gone way back... he was our canine guy and that was something I aspired to do and just he helped me out a lot with that... we both live on the same road so he’s helped me out personally around my property and stuff like that before too,” said Shaidle, adding, “The guy just has always given, like he’s just one of those guys give you the shirt off his back.”
In the early morning hours of March 11, Kincardine Fire and Emergency Services (KFES) was dispatched to the Stewart home on Concession 12 in Kincardine. Additional aid was requested from Saugeen Shores Fire Department (water tankers) and the Tivertion station (crew). In a March 11 press release, Kent Padfield, Fire Chief with KFES credited working smoke alarms with saving the lives of the Sharon Stewart, a retired Bruce Power first responder, and Kirstin Stewart, Andy and Sharon’s daughter; who were in the house at the time. The home was destroyed. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
See also: Family reaching out to community for help
After 30 years of policing service, most of which was in Saugeen Shores with a few earlier years in Walkerton, Stewart, who was on shift at the time of the fire, is now retired but continues to work part time for the Saugeen Shores service. Stewart worked the canine unit until it was disbanded in 2011. “A lot of his canine work that he did was volunteer... we didn’t have a real budget for our canine program and he, you know, put everything he had into it and a lot of it was on his own time.”
Shaidle added, “For the stuff that he’s done for this community, I think it’s important that at least we try to make sure that he’s looked after.”
The Stewart family didn’t have insurance at the time of the fire due to what is being called a “miscommunication” with the insurance company so the police association, along with community members and business owners have rallied to put together a couple of fund raisers.
“On April 16 there’ll be a charity barbecue hosted at Mowbray’s Canadian Tire in Port Elgin and all are welcome,” said Shaidle, adding, “they’ll be cooking until they run out of food.”
Then on April 23 there will be a charity pig and turkey roast held at Maple Hall in Port Elgin. “It will be a ticketed event... you can enjoy the meal and some entertainment and it’s a licensed event and the tickets can be purchased ahead of time from us at the association,” said Shaidle. Tickets are $35.
The family also has a gofundme page which to date has raised over $14,000.
