Between 2000 and 2016, a remarkable tradition took shape within the RMC alumni community. On five separate occasions—2000, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016—a determined group of graduates paddled a 36-foot canoe from Ottawa to Kingston, arriving at RMC just in time for Reunion Weekend. Each journey spanned seven days and covered the full 200 kilometres of the Rideau Canal, blending endurance, camaraderie, and a renewed connection to the College.
A Class of 1971 Contribution to a Wider Community
Of the 53 paddlers who took part in these expeditions, eleven were members of the Class of 1971: Geoff Bennett, Jean Boyle, Marius Grinius, Peter Holt, Ray Hook, John Leggat, Chuck Lemieux, Clark Little, Fergus McLaughlin, Ron Rhodenizer and Mike Stenson.
The remaining paddlers represented a wide cross-section of the RMC family. They included graduates from the Classes of 1945 through 2002, men and women, anglophones and francophones. Two were Officer Cadets. Five had never attended a military college at all. It was a uniquely inclusive project—one that blended generations, backgrounds and languages while preserving the shared spirit of service and adventure.
Paddling for a Purpose
Each participant carried a responsibility beyond the physical challenge: raising funds to support athletics at RMC. In 2006, on behalf of the Class of 1971, Geoff Bennett and Ray Hook formalized this purpose by working with the RMC Foundation to establish the Danny McLeod Athletic Endowment Fund.
Named after Danny McLeod—RMC’s first Director of Athletics, a legendary hockey coach and a decorated veteran—the fund honours a figure whose influence across the College was profound. From that point onward, every dollar raised on the canoe trips flowed directly into the McLeod Fund.
As of December 2024, the fund stood at $390,438, supported by contributions from more than 900 donors. It is now one of RMC’s largest endowments. Between 2006 and 2017, it disbursed $97,150 to athletic programs at both Colleges, with support continuing at a steady pace since. Contributions from the Class of 1971 have naturally slowed since entering the Old Brigade in 2016, but their impact remains extraordinary. By 2024, 153 members of the Class had donated a total of $367,830 to the RMC Alumni Association, much of it directed to the McLeod Fund.
A Venture That Reflected the Whole College
What made La Chasse-Galerie special was not just the physical challenge or the fundraising success, but the spirit that propelled it. The teamwork, the diversity of paddlers and donors, and the broad representation from across the RMC community made each expedition memorable.
Though the idea began with the Class of 1971 and the endowment carries the legacy of their leadership, the canoe trips became something larger—a College-wide effort that spanned decades and generations. It was a tradition shaped by unity, commitment and the enduring bonds that tie the RMC community together.
