Every Ottawa Senators’ home game, the Senators partner with Lépine Apartments to pay homage to the brave men and women who serve our country. The tradition of Hero’s Ridge dates to 2015 and sees a Canadian Armed Forces veteran and their family enjoy a game from the Hero’s Ridge suite. Since its inauguration, Hero’s Ridge has honoured over 350 veterans. It is with the help of the Royal Canadian Legion that this program is possible, as the Legion gives families the opportunity to nominate their loved ones to be honoured.
This season’s honourees for the month of March can be found below.
Kirby Barker - March 1, 2025
Chief Warrant Officer (Retired) Kirby Barker joined the military in July of 1978 and was trained as an Airframe Technician. During his career he worked and interacted on various aircraft such as the CC130 Hercules, CC137 Boeing Aircraft, the CH124 Sea King helicopter and the CH148 Cyclone Helicopter. He served on both land and sea. Kirby was deployed on two peacekeeping missions, one in Ethiopia and one in South Africa. After thirty-seven years of service, Chief Warrant Officer Kirby Barker retired in July 2015.
Hartland Mulcahy - March 8, 2025
WWII veteran Hartland Mulcahy joined the Merchant Marine as an ordinary seaman in 1941. He became a Fireman in the engine room serving aboard ship during Operation Torch, the D Day invasion and Battle of the Atlantic. He was one of the thousands of men who braved the dangers of the sea and enemy U-Boats and Aircrafts to keep the vital supply line open during the longest battle of WWII.
Lisa Wiggins - March 10, 2025
Master Corporal (Retired) Lisa Wiggins enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1996. She spent her career at the Fleet Mail Office in Esquimalt, BC and with 3 Royal Canadian Regiment, Petawawa, Lisa was deployed in Haiti and Bosnia. She was released in 2006 due to injuries sustained while deployed to Bosnia.
Bill Seguin - March 13, 2025
Bill Seguin enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1978 and was trained in Signals intelligence and as a Russian linguist. As a ‘Cold War Veteran’ he served at several isolated military facilities across Canada including four 6-month tours at Canadian Forces Station Alert. Bill also was selected to serve with the US army and Airforce in Germany during the Gulf war and the fall of East Germany and a NATO operation in Scotland. Sergeant Bill Seguin retired in 1999 after honourably serving in the Canadian Armed Forces for 21 years.
Gregory Ritonja - March 20, 2025
Captain (Retired) Gregory Ritonja enrolled in the CAF as a signals officer in July 2010. During his career he served with the 1st Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and the 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battalion. He was deployed to Latvia in 2017 and Iraq in 2019. After his return home from Iraq, he became the Special Operations Network Operations Center, Second in Command until his retirement in November 2022 after 12 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces.
Gilbert and Richard Ronholm - March 29, 2025
Sergeant (Retired) Gilbert Ronholm enlisted in the RCAF in 1964. As an Integral Systems Technician he saw postings to Germany, Trenton, and North Bay, working on fighters, transports, and trainers as well as deploying to Thule air base to deliver fuel to Alert when there was 24 hours of darkness and alternately when there was 24 hours of daylight. He retired in 1994. Captain (Retired) Richard (Rick) Ronholm enrolled in the Reserves in the Algonquin Regiment in 1987 as private and 1989 and received his Commission in 1993 when he graduated from Royal Military College of Canada. During his service as a Logistics Officer, he served across Canada and Italy. He retired in 2011. Between them, this father and son have served our country for 44 years continuing the family tradition of service in the armed forces that goes back to WWI, WWII and Korea and peacetime.
