Reflectiv! Moment" Families at home also serve their country during war
The red poppy worn on the left side, over the heart, is a tiny but powerful reminder that thousands of men and women in our community and beyond served their country during war time and in peace and are remembered for their efforts and often the VDFUL¿FH RI OLIH
Members of our military community continue to serve and are ready to answer whatever calls come for their presence and DVVLVWDQFH
$W WUDGLWLRQDO 1RY VHUYLFHV RI 5Hmembrance, emphasis has usually been on the veterans of the First and Second World Wars, Korean War, peacekeeping missions and other combat areas including AfghanLVWDQ 5HIHUHQFH KDV DOZD\V EHHQ PDGH WR currently serving members of the military DQG WKDQNV JLYHQ WR WKHLU IDPLOLHV 7KDW LV DV LW VKRXOG EH
But I’ve often wished we would spend a bit more time extending our thankfulness to the families of veterans who served in the previously mentioned wars and theDWUHV RI FRPEDW ,Q WKHLU RZQ ZD\ WKH\ WRR served our country and made unbelievable VDFUL¿FHV WKHPVHOYHV LQ PDLQWDLQLQJ OLIH DW home and in support of the war effort here DQG RYHUVHDV
I often heard my Mother talk about the years she spent alone with my brother and sister while my Father was overseas in the 5R\DO &DQDGLDQ $UP\ 6HUYLFH &RUSV 6KH talked about the hardships of managing the household on her own, occasionally lamenting the lack of support she received from one local merchant who would not extend her credit for a tin of milk for her FKLOGUHQ
She also talked about the kindness of others in our community and in Moose -DZ ZKHUH WKH RZQHU RI WKH 3ULQFHVV &DIH saved her sugar packs to extend her sugar rations and chocolate bars to send to Dad LQ UHJXODU SDFNDJHV IURP KRPH
By managing our family as best she could and by being stalwart and determined she was doing more than her share to support the war effort, and her husband, a veteran who thankfully came home safeO\
0\ VLEOLQJV DOVR VDFUL¿FHG IRU WKHLU country, living without their Father until WKH HQG RI WKH 6HFRQG :RUOG :DU $V WKH children of a soldier overseas they had many extra burdens they would not have KDG LI WKHLU )DWKHU KDG QRW JRQH RII WR ZDU While they did without some of the extras that other children enjoyed, imagine their pride when they learned their Father was SDUW RI WKH OLEHUDWLRQ RI +ROODQG
In later years my sister joined the 5&$) VHUYLQJ KHU FRXQWU\ LQ &DQDGD DQG looking after the safety of her colleagues DV VKH SDFNHG WKHLU SDUDFKXWHV $V D YHWeran she became a member of the Legion in Alberta and continues that membership DQG VXSSRUW KHUH
My brother did his service to others E\ ZRUNLQJ ZLWK WKH 5R\DO &DQDGLDQ /Hgions in Alberta and here in Moose Jaw, helping to raise money for the poppy fund and to assist veterans who might need a KHOSLQJ KDQG RU HYHQ D IULHQGO\ HDU +H was not a military veteran but he had paid his dues as a youngster and continued that FRPPLWPHQW XQWLO KLV GHDWK
As a post-war baby by several years, I was saved from the hardships of the war \HDUV EXW , OHDUQHG WR UHVSHFW ZKDW 5HPHPEUDQFH 'D\ PHDQW WR P\ IDPLO\ , WU\ to live up to those expectations by wearing a poppy, appreciating the work of veterans of all generations, talking to school children about the importance of remembering, helping Sunningdale students adorn WKHLU ZDONZD\ ZLWK &DQDGLDQ ÀDJV DQG doing what I am able to support the work JRLQJ RQ DW :LQJ
:KHQ , VWDQG RQ 1RY WR REVHUYH the memorial silence, I will remember my )DWKHU ZKR VHUYHG DQG FDPH KRPH , ZLOO also recall in appreciation how members of my family served their country while he ZDV DZD\ DQG LQ ODWHU \HDUV $QG , ZLOO UHmember always that the work of non-veterans in support of veterans should never EH PLQLPL]HG
There are many stories to be told of non-veterans who made their own conWULEXWLRQV DQG VDFUL¿FHV LQ WLPHV RI ZDU and peace, sending family members off to GLVWDQW ODQGV IRU H[WHQGHG SHULRGV RI WLPH 0\ IDPLO\¶V VWRU\ LV EXW RQH RI WKHP