The tragic loss of Poland's president and 95 others is being felt throughout the Ottawa Valley, which is home to Canada's oldest Polish settlement.
Polish President Lech Kaczynski was a member of the same cultural group as the Poles who settled in Wilno, Ont., located about 200 kilometres west of Ottawa, near Bancroft.
"One thing about this region here -- this being Canada's first Polish-Kashubian settlement and the connection we made to the homeland over 150 years -- it's so strong. So when anything happens there, we feel it," said David Shulist of the Wilno Heritage Society.
A weekend plane crash killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski, the first lady, the national bank president, the deputy foreign minister, the army chaplain, the head of the National Security Office, the deputy parliament speaker, the Olympic Committee head and at least two presidential aides and three lawmakers.
The group of Polish elite was flying to Russia to attend a memorial to honour thousands of Polish soldiers who were executed by the Soviet Union's secret police 70 years ago.
Shulist met the first lady when she was in Ottawa two years ago. He remembered her as a lovely woman who took a few hours to talk to him.
He said his personal connection makes the tragedy even more difficult.
Poland's Prime Minister was originally scheduled to visit Wilno this Wednesday. Instead, the town will hold a memorial to honour the victims of the plane crash.
Area residents are also marking the tragedy by signing a book of condolences at the Polish Embassy in Ottawa.
