S/Sgt. Parke remembers the Fallen Four, Bonnyville RCMP holding fundraising BBQ

On March 2, 2005, I had worked a nightshift, so on March 3rd, I was still asleep when I woke up to the phone ringing.  It was my cousin and when I answered his first words were: “Good, you’re alive!” That’s when I first learned that four of my colleagues were murdered. My cousin knew I worked in rural Alberta and probably wasn’t involved in the fatal shootout that took place on James Roszko’s farm near Mayerthorpe, but because none of the RCMP members had been named in the news yet he just wanted to make sure.

Anthony Gordon, Leo Johnston, Brock Myrol and Peter Schiemann gave the ultimate sacrifice that day in the execution of their duties. I was glued to the television the rest of that day and the days that followed, staring at the screen in disbelief. I did not know any of the Fallen Four personally but it still hit me hard none the less, much like it did with Canadians across the country.

Whether they knew the Fallen Four or not, RCMP members from all across Alberta and several from other parts of Canada flocked to the U of A Butterdome to pay tribute to their fallen comrades at the biggest funeral I’ve ever seen and ever care to be a part of again. Thousands of men and women paid tribute to Anthony, Leo, Brock and Peter.

That sense of loss resonated with many for years afterward. I was one of those who could not shake the sense of mourning that stuck with me. Fortunately a few years later the first annual Fallen Four Relay/Marathon took place in June 2009.  The four-person relay and the marathon began at the Fallen Four Memorial Park in Mayerthorpe, Alberta, and ended 42 kilometers down the highway in Whitecourt. I participated in this relay for several years and was appreciative of the opportunity to join in with hundreds of others who just wanted to ‘do something’ or to contribute in some way.

To recognize the sacrifice of Peter Schiemann, Leo Johnston, Anthony Gordon and Brock Myrol, a park within the town of Mayerthorpe was created and named the Fallen Four Memorial Park. Within the park is a centre compass surrounded by four plinths, supporting a bronze statue of each of the Fallen Four.

This park is visited by an average of 7,000 visitors per year. It is estimated another 2,000 visitors attend the park after hours or on days when the visitor centre is closed. The Fallen Four Society has raised funds in the past for the park by relying on souvenir sales from the visitor centre as well as through the Fallen Four marathon. The seven years of support of the marathon by a local company has now ended and so has the marathon.

The local RCMP members are working to create new fundraising opportunities, however, the plinth of each statue is in desperate need of repair. Essentially, the plinth that supports each statue is sinking into the ground and away from the statue. The cost to repair all four plinths is $17,000. To date, less than $1,000 has been raised over the past six months.

The Bonnyville RCMP and Victim Services Unit are hosting a BBQ Fundraiser with all proceeds going toward the cost of these repairs. We are inviting everyone to come down to the Bonnyville RCMP Detachment on Friday, June 21 between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm for a hot dog or hamburger and donate to this very worthy cause that is close to the hearts of every RCMP member, whether they joined the Force before or after March 3, 2005.

Let’s show the Fallen Four Society that Bonnyville supports them!

Each dollar raised is truly appreciated by the Mayerthorpe detachment members, the community and the families of the Fallen Four.