Veterans to be honoured with new banners in Waterloo
Veterans will be held in a high place of honour as the City of Waterloo announces a new initiative.
Veterans with ties to the city will be displayed on a series of commemorative banners that will go up along the Spurline Trail ahead of Remembrance Day.
The Veterans Banner Program is part of a partnership with Royal Canadian Legion Branch 530 and the City of Waterloo Business Improvement Area (BIA).
'I've been thinking about it for a few years and discussed it around the branch in Waterloo,' Sgt. John Champion, past president of Branch 530, said. 'I personally know honourary Col. Diane Freeman, who's also a city councilor, and discussed it with her.'
The idea is not a new one, with many communities throughout Ontario already proudly displaying memorial banners. However, according to the Legion, the program must be coordinated at the local level.
Legions in Cambridge have been putting up similar banners for years.
'We started the program in 2018,' Bill Kalbhenn, Legion Branch 272 president, said. 'We knew that Hespeler had a lot of veterans in the community and it's part of the act of remembrance as well – getting the stories and the pictures and the banners out to the community. So far, it has been very well received in our community.'
Kalbhenn said they currently have 92 banners with room for three more.
'I'm elated when I see them up downtown,' he explained. 'It actually sometimes brings tears to your eyes and sometimes I'll get posts on Facebook, I'll get letters back from people… they bring their family into town over the Remembrance period, and they bring them downtown to look at the banners and names that are on there.'
Banner submissions
Branch 530 is now accepting submissions for who should be included in the first wave of banners.
'The Legion is paying for the first 16 fallen from World War One,' Champion explained. 'There's approximately 30 [banners] that we are going to be putting up and the other ones will be on a first come, first served basis. Families can submit their family members who served in the past to us.'
Champion said banners that aren't covered by the Legion will cost $150.
He encouraged families to submit anyone from Waterloo who fought for our country.
'The veterans from the Second World War are quickly passing away. There's very few of them left. And when they're gone, it's a whole generation that the younger people will never get to hear their stories firsthand,' Champion said. 'There's so much knowledge in history that is not being taught in schools, and it's so easy to forget all the sacrifices that veterans have made past First World War, Second World War, Korea peacekeeping, NATO missions.'
He also said the Legion will help families when it comes to creating the banners.
'If there's anybody that is interested in having a banner made, they can contact the board of the Legion. And we're happy to dig up the information on your loved one. Help you, help us.'
Anyone interested in submitting a candidate can email Champion at meinkosovo@hotmail.com or phone the Waterloo Legion at 519-886-4790.
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