Sunday will mark two weeks since a man opened fire in the Village of Parham, Ont., and burned down the historic St. James Anglican church, which was founded in 1887.
Now that the smoke has cleared, and the accused, Brian Daniel Mosher, 42, remains in police custody, the village is coming together for a Father’s Day dinner.
“We are providing a dinner to first responders and anyone in Parham affected,” said Dave Hansen the local Lions Club treasurer.
According to Hansen, one of his newer Lions Club members, Tina Hillocks, began knocking on doors in Parham days after the incident, asking residents if they would be interested in having a meal as a gesture of solidarity.
“I suffer from PTSD, and when I saw the first responders and community members go through that, I had to do something,” said Hillocks over the phone.
The Sharbot Lake and District Lions Club teamed up with the local COVID-19 community response group, Care-mongering Sharbot lake and Frontenac area, to provide meals to those affected by the pandemic, the June 7 incident, and for those who want to share a meal on Father’s Day .
“I walked up and down the road where it happened and talked to neighbours. Many were still devastated, but Im hoping this will bring us closer together and bring comfort,” said Hillocks.
The meals are being provided by Seed to Sausage just outside of Parham. The meal boxes include a rack of ribs, potatoes, salad, and animal bars for desert, according to the owner Michael McKenzie.
“We have made 500 boxes which will feed 1000 people,” said Mckenzie.
As for Hansen, the church was more than a symbol of Parham, it was a place that his father was a pastor, his children were baptized in, and where he married his wife Dawn, 57-years ago this weekend.
“I just was looking at pictures this morning of us coming down the aisle, and the beautiful back window is in that picture,” said Hansen while reminiscing on wedding photos.
Rather than having a candlelight dinner, the couple will be at the funeral home near the church to hand the meals to those affected by the blaze and shooting.
Hansen says first responders can pick up their meal boxes at Seed to Sausage on Sunday at 11:00 am and the community can come by the funeral home after 12:00pm.
Mosher will appear in bail court via video on Tuesday, June 23.