Honouring veterans leading up to Remembrance Day

Glenn Miller with the Lethbridge Legion said, “The Legion is very appreciative of the City [of Lethbridge] recognizing and then showing that recognition to all veterans by declaring that section in front of the Cenotaph [as] Veterans Avenue.”

Miller is hopeful that in the future, the street renaming is something that can be done on a permanent basis. He also noted that residents might have noticed banners on light posts across the city.

The banner project is another way to mark the sacrifices of veterans, as each banner features an image of a veteran. Residents can view a short biography of a pictured veteran at the banner project website.

The plan, according to Miller, is to add even more banners across the city over the next couple of years.

For 2022, there will be two in-person Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11. One will be held at the Cenotaph in downtown Lethbridge, with another ceremony set to take place at Exhibition Park.

POPPY CAMPAIGN

Miller noted that the poppy campaign is now underway in Lethbridge.

He encourages residents to wear a poppy to honour veterans not just throughout the month of November, but year-round.

Miller said if a resident loses their poppy, they can get a new one for free.

“We gracefully acknowledge and accept any donations, and those can be done online as well, but grab a poppy as you walk by,” he said.

“If you see a poppy box, look down at your chest and if you’re not seeing a bit of red, stop and grab a poppy right there and be proud to say thank you to the veterans who have actually paid the sacrifice for today’s lifestyle we enjoy,” Miller added.

LAST POST FUND

Miller added the Last Post Fund is a Canada-wide organization that strives to support the legacy of veterans. He explained that the charity’s primary mission is to ensure no veteran is denied a dignified burial and marker due to a lack of sufficient funds.

Miller said, “If a veteran’s family knows someone who served, you know, back in the sixties or seventies and they can’t quite afford a funeral, call the 1-800 number for the Last Post Fund and there may be assistance available, if they qualify.”

Another component of the Last Post Fund is the Unmarked Grave program.

Miller explained, “Any Canadian veteran buried anywhere out in the world, who lies in an unmarked grave for more than five years, [the Last Post Found] can then initiate an application, paid for by Veterans’ Affairs Canada, and that veteran will be properly marked.”

He said work is being done to find and identify unmarked graves of soldiers across Canada.

LICENSE PLATES

Miller said veterans’ license plates are another way to pay tribute.

He noted, “In Lethbridge, many veterans don’t know this, but the City [of Lethbridge] waives any parking fees for the areas in the designated parking zones, for whatever that time limit is.”

Residents can purchase a ‘Support Our Troops’ personalized license plate for their vehicle, with proceeds from the sales of those plates going towards supporting veterans.

Miller said, “On the license plate, you’ll find a soldier standing over four inverted rifles with helmets, and that actual scene represents the first four members from Alberta who were killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire.”

He added that a documentary film, titled ‘Fallen Heroes: Their Journey Home’ is currently in production, due to be released in April 17, 2023, which is the anniversary of the death of the four soldiers represented on the Support Our Troops license plates. The film will highlight the experiences of Canadian soldiers.

Read more Lethbridge News Now.

by Justin Goulet

Honouring veterans leading up to Remembrance Day

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