Speaker

Peter J. Holt - Brigadier-General (retired), OMM, CD, PEng
Brigadier-General Holt was born in Kingston, Ontario. A graduate of College Militaire Royal de Saint-Jean and the Royal Military College of Canada, he served in locations in Ontario, Manitoba, and Germany. He finally landed in Ottawa, where he retired in 2005.

He has a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering, which has served him well in his long and illustrious career spanning more than a dozen appointments. He was promoted to his current rank in 2002, and was made and Officer in the Order of Military Merit in the same year.

BGen Holt and his wife Shirley have two daughters anda son. He enjoys canoeing, camping and the 160 km, four day Nijmegen March. He's done that 17 times. He was active in church Scouting groups wherever he was stationed, and involved in a number of charities in the Ottawa area. A recent appointment from Governor-General Michaelle Jean has him travelling to units across the country and in Afghanistan, as well as speaking engagements honouring Canada's soldiers. He is a member of Orleans United Church in Orleans, Ontario.

Music team

Laurie Anderson - Laurie graduated from Brandon University with a Bachelor of Music Education and has taught instrumental (band) and choral music in the public school system in Manitoba, British Columbia and Alberta for the past 32 years. Now reired, Laurie remains active in the music community of Grande Prairie and builds kayaks. His ministry of music with the United Church has included organist, accompanist and choir director in the congregations of Knox United in Fort Frances, Ontario, St. Peter's Ecumenical in Slave Lake, Ganges United on Salt Spring Island B.C. and St. Paul's United in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

Alison White - Alison is the music director at At. Paul's United Church in Grande Prairie, Alberta. She enjoys her work with singers and hand-bells and loves to encourage musicians of all sorts to get involved in the music ministry! She embraces the challenge of bringing new ideas to worship and continues to aspire to get the congregation clapping on beats 2 and 4!! When not at church, Alison maintains an active piano studio in her home and spends time with her husband and two children.