mmer Dreams From Leningrad to Auckland, Laughlin, Nevada to the Vatican and from the peaks of the Swiss Alps to the beaches of Christina Lake, Castlear area residents took the Sun with them, wherever they travelled this summer! We hope you enjoy this collage GRAND PRIZE FIRST PRIZE SECOND PRIZE THIRD PRIZE Trip for 2 anywhere ICG Portable 6 Foot Sub Subscription to Canadian Regional flies, Propane BBQ from Subway The Castlegar Sun VERN HELLEKSON ELAINE AUDET FRANCES KANIGAN VERN HELLEKSON PROFILE y-six years ago, d brown-haired six-year-old sat drawing a picture in a classroom at Haley ion in Ottawa. uulled a red crayon from its box and, with deep concentration, he started to carefully color the picture of the man in the uniform. When he was done coloring the man, his little hand deftly pulled a brown crayon from the box. He thought it was just the right color for the horse. Afterwards he sat back in his chair and carefully studied the picture of the man on the horse with langing and deter mination. He vowed that one day, when he grew up, he would become a “Mountie” and ride a fine horse just like the man in the picture he had colored. That boy is now grown up and his dream of becoming a Mountie finally has been realized. For 22 years, Cpl. Dave Beach of the Castlegar RCMP has lived his dream, but the red uniform he so coveted has been seldom wor, But Beach has worn many coats of many colors during his time as a police officer. And even though he seldom wears the scarlet uniform of Canada’s best-known icon, he does wear a cloak of pride which has been eamed through hard work, sacri- fice and dedication Beach looks like any other RCMP officer in Canada, His uniform is standard issue, as is his neatly-trimmed mustache. The brass adoming his uniform is buffed to perfection and his cap is set at just the right angle. His shoes are polished like all those who have promised to serve and protect their fellow ‘Canadians But there was a time in Beach’s life when he didn't have shoes to shine. That was when he and fellow United Nations members ys robbed of their belongings while serving in the former Yugoslavia. It was June,1993 when Beach was selected to go to Krajina to serve for six months as a United Nations member. His previous experience as a bodyguard for Prince Alben of Monaco, prime ministers, queens and foreign diplomats, and as a plain clothes security officer for the Pope left him with a taste for adventure and a reputation inthe force for excellence and service When offered the post, Beach jumped at it after discussing it with his wife Lorraine, who he describes as being “strong” and independent.” “It was the opportunity of a lifetime and I would probably never be offered it again. And six months go by so quick,” he explained, So with his wife's blessing, he accepted the offer. In retro- spect, despite media attention, he was ill-prepared for the harsh realities of the war-tom former Yugoslavia. “I thought the news was exaggerating (he said with apology to this reporter)—they weren't. As soon as we landed I was given car keys and told we would live in Darda. The condi- tions there were bad. There were no stores, water or street lights. When there was bread, you had to stand in line and get there before 5:30 a.m.” Beach was one of 21 police officers from nine different nations who volunteered to act as peacekeepers. His job was t0 police the police and report on war crimes. Because of their status, the officers weren't allowed to carry weapons. Nor were they allowed to isitervene in any alterca- tion, even if it meafit someone might die through their enforced The Castlegar Sun WEDNESDAY, November 15, 1995 BLUE BERET Story by Karen Kerkhoff Photos by Corp. Dave Beach inaction. In fact, the only “protection” Beach wore was a blue beret and a circular patch on his shoulder which identified him as a member of the UN “While at a UN outpost, I watched a Serbian soldier shoot a 14-year-old Muslim female. 1 wa and there was nothing I could do,” here was nothing we could do about that because under the UN terms of engagement, we were only allowed to observe and report.” But Beach's patch and beret did little to protect hint “I've been shot at and the vehicles I've been in have been shot at. I was robbed and I've been beaten up.” That beating landed him in the hospital overnight for west ment of cuts and bruises. He said it wasn't until after he arrived in Krajina that he real ized his life was at risk each and every day while overseas. Before departing Canada, Ottawa assured him he would be “fairly safe” while overseas. But when he arrived in Yugoslavia, he was told by a UN member there would be “acceptable losses.” When asked to explain “acceptable loss- ¢s", Beach raised his eyebrows and shrugged. This was a fact he chose ‘not to tell Lorraine, who merrily went about regularly sending care packages to her husband. He never told her during subsequent overseas phone calls that his life was in danger. She never suspected he might die thousands of miles away from her and their two daughters. “She's a fairly independent woman, but she worries,” he said with a fond smile, explaining why he chose not to come clean about the danger. ‘There were mary things Beach saw while overseas—things that no human being should ever have to see. Things that will stay with him until the day he dies. Hungry children, mass graves and the heavy unforgettable reek of death in the air are things Beach says he'll always remember. The heinous atrocities perpetrated by the human race still leave him struggling t6 understand how one person can coldheartedly kill another and then walk away without a backward glance. “In Canada, you mean a lot to the community. In war, you're just a number, you're expendable. Life is cheap in a war situation.” “In Canada, you mean a lot to the community. In war, you're just a number, you're expendable.” Secor Fe Corp. Dave Basch ls contest to serve an REM at the hhave fallen to ruin and will soon be lost to future But the hardest memory for Beach to recall is the cat ic effect the war had on innocent children. He tells about the time he and other UN members went into a classroom in Kraji- na with paper and pencils donated by UNICEF. Despite the rainbow of tempting colors available to them, the children's poignant pictures were a heart-rending study of the effects of sar on children. were drawing pictures and they were all drawn in black. There were black stick men and black bombs. They’re emotionally scarred. They had color crayons and they were drawing in black.” orraine Beach had an early Christmas present Dec. 14, 1993. That's the day her husband retumed to Canada safe and sound But the six months spent in the former Yugoslavia have irre- vocably touched her and her husband's life. Life for Beach nowadays is sweet. It’s savored a day at a time. He says life in Yugoslavia and the indomitable spirit of the Serbian people has helped him focus on the important things in life. He says his priorities have changed. The tangible things int in life hayg. given way to the intangibles. came back thinking material goods are not important Now, it's U's the family-—the Serbian people showed me that. Things that used to bother me everyday just are not important. ly and health, Life is so fragile. I used to figure the job important to life, but it’s not. It’s just a passing As Beach sits in his office at the local detachment, he looks idly upon reminders of his 22-year career. Hanging on the wall are numerous commendations. The boy who dared to fol- low his dreams is now a 42-year-old man in the prime of his life. But somewhere, deep inside, that young boy