Reprinted from The Packet, January 19, 2016
by Danette Dooley
 Haley Peddle, age 11, lives in Hodge’s Cove and is a Grade 6 student at South West Arm Academy.
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 Left to right are Cpl. Jamie MacWhirter, Haley Peddle, Allan Horwood and WO John Hall on the day Haley presented her gift to the Military Resource Centre.
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Haley Peddle chooses to share her pay with veterans
Haley Peddle of Hodge’s Cove was so touched by what she learned acting in New Curtain Theatre’s “Armstrong’s War” in November, that the 11-year-old donated some of the money she made from her starring role to soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
A Grade 6 student at Southwest Arm Academy, Haley bought and donated eight gift cards to the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) just before Christmas.
During her gift presentation in St. John’s, Haley met some soldiers who told her about their time serving overseas.
Cpl. Jamie MacWhirter – who has spoken publicly about living with PTSD – gave her a copy of his book “A Soldier’s Tale: A Newfoundland Soldier in Afghanistan.” She’s looking forward to reading it, she said.
The Play
“Armstrong’s War” is a play about a 12-year-old girl named Halley (role played by Haley) and a Canadian war vet named Michael (role played by Colin Furlong).
Halley is a Pathfinder working on her community service badge. Michael is an injured Canadian Forces soldier — on leave from Afghanistan — in a rehabilitation facility.
“At first Halley and Michael have little arguments. He doesn’t want her in his room. He doesn’t want her reading to him. But she really wants her badge so she keeps coming back every week,” Haley said during a recent phone interview.
Through the art of storytelling the child and the veteran learn much about each other as the young Pathfinder discovers the true meaning of war, hope, courage and honour.
“Michael ends up writing a story about his time in Afghanistan and he reads it to Halley,” Haley said.
New Curtain Theatre is a non-profit professional theatre company based in Milton.
The play, written by Colleen Murphy, is the fourth that the theatre company has produced to recognize the tremendous sacrifices veterans have made, said artistic director Geoff Adams.
Adams said the play was staged across the country and New Curtain Theatre was one of the smaller venues in Canada chosen to mount the production.
Allan Horwood, family liaison officer with the MFRC and the Integrated Personnel Support Centres (IPSC), said psychological injuries such as depression, anxiety and PTSD have become common amongst members who served in Afghanistan.
This was portrayed in the play “Armstrong’s War” where a soldier from Afghanistan was injured and the young girl became involved with him, Horwood said via e-mail.
Life learns from art
By participating in the play and going to the MFRC, Horwood said, Haley developed an understanding of and appreciation for the support veterans and their families need.
“Haley certainly demonstrated, as a youth, the respect and dignity our veterans rightly deserve.”
As an ex-soldier, Horwood said, he believes that the peaceful and democratic society we enjoy today was created by the efforts and sacrifices of generations of Canadians who put their lives on the line.
“As a society, and how Haley acted in the play, we honour and remember not only those who have served and fallen in the past, but also those who are currently serving in Canada’s military and those who have become ill/injured from the war in Afghanistan.”
Horwood said remembering and learning about all that our veterans have done helps us to better understand our nation’s history and its future.
“We, as a society, must recognize that our youth can also play a crucial role in the growth of our communities and in continuing the tradition of remembrance.”
Haley’s mother Amanda Peddle said the people at the MFRC were awesome to deal with and made her daughter feel good about what she was doing.
Amanda said Haley was initially reluctant to have her kindness recognized publicly.
Haley gave the donation because she wanted to help the soldiers, her mother said, not for any recognition that might follow.
However, Haley agreed to do an interview with The Packet in the hopes that other young people may find ways to support Canada’s military.
“It’s really amazing what they have done for us and what they are still doing,” Haley said.