Blood donations to honour fallen Moncton Mounties urged

Canadian Blood Services is encouraging New Brunswickers to honour the three fallenMoncton Mounties by saving lives through blood donations.

Throughout the month of July, blood donors at any blood clinic across the province can fill out an in-honourcard with a personal message to the Codiac Regional RCMP, the organization announced on Wednesday at the Monctonclinic on Mapleton Road.

At the end of the month, the cards will be delivered to the Codiac RCMP.

Canadian Blood Services has partnered with theCodiacRCMP and theMonctonFire Department on theproject.

For 14 years, they have partnered on blood donor clinics called Guns n Hoses twice a year, but this summer's event has taken on a new meaning as the community continues to struggle with the healing process, said Peter MacDonald, of Canadian Blood Services.

"We have a connection. Not only are the firefighters and RCMP members familiar faces to our staff here as they are regular blood donors, but one of our staff members is the father-in-law of Doug Larche," he said.

On June 4, three RCMP officers were shot and killed by a heavily armed gunman:

• Const. Douglas James Larche, 40, from Saint John.
• Const. Dave Joseph Ross, 32, from Victoriaville, Que.
• Const. Fabrice Georges Gevaudan, 45, originally from Boulogne-Billancourt, France.

The blood donor event has been sanctioned by the families, organizers said.

Cpl. Mike Gaudet says the messages will mean a lot to the families.

"Well, similar to all the support we felt in the last weeks, it's all part of the healing process, so it's going to be comforting to see the support," he said.

ConstablesricStphaneJ.Duboisand Marie DarleneGoguenwere also wounded in the attack in the southeastern New Brunswick city.

Justin Bourque, 24, of Moncton, ischarged with three counts of first-degreemurder and two counts of attempted murder in connection with the shootings. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance on July 3.