Wounded Warriors Weekend has had life-saving impact
The Wounded Warriors Weekend is more than just a way to celebrate veterans and educate people about post-traumatic stress disorder — it brings together everyday heroes to help them work through their struggles.
“I know for a fact we have saved lives,” event founder Blake Emmons said. “I can’t even count how many people... by letter and by verbal communication, said ‘You guys saved my life.’”
The Wounded Warriors Weekend is an annual event that hosts veterans from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia for a positive and connective weekend. Police officers, firefighters and other first responders are among those invited to join in the event.
Emmons said since the event began in Nipawin in 2012, he has had veterans come to him and thank him for putting it together. In some cases, he said, he’d been told a visitor was considering taking their own life before coming to the weekend and realizing they are not alone.
“I don’t know that what we do this year will save someone’s life, but I work on the premise that it will, or it will make someone’s life a lot better,” Emmons said.
This year’s weekend will be taking place in Lloydminster instead of the previous site in Nipawin, but organizers have applauded the help they’ve received from the city getting things prepared.
The events run from July 27 to July 31. Plans for the weekend include a “day at the ranch” on Friday, a fishing trip to Loon Lake and a ladies-only spa day on Saturday, and the “Heroes Hoedown” public event on Sunday featuring entertainment from Country Music Hall of Famers the Good Brothers, Sesame Street and Telemiracle personality Bob McGrath, and more. But the highlight of the weekend for many is the Lieutenant- Governor’s Gala on Saturday night.
A motorcade of visiting veterans and special guests that fly in for the weekend will parade through Saskatoon on Thursday before heading to Lloydminster. For Brenda Fredrickson, the cavalcade organizer, seeing the people that line the roads and highways for the travelling veterans is one of the most meaningful displays each year.
“People definitely have the opportunity to contribute to the healing of our wounded warriors simply by coming out to the route and waving a flag,” she said.
The convoy will travel from the airport down 45th Street to Avenue C before heading out of the city on Idylwyld Drive towards Lloydminster. It’s only the start of the weekend, but Emmons said it fills him with pride to see the public support the veterans and heroes that come to the event.
“Right now, my prime motivation is ‘how many more can we help?’” Emmons said.