Let’s honour these heroes
CANADA’S WAR VETERANS Buy a poppy, donate from the heart, attend Remembrance Day parades, take time to reflect
Re True heroes
Last week, while walking through the local shopping centre, I noticed two Royal Canadian Legion tables, one at each end of the mall’s entrances. I also noticed the red poppies along with John McCrae’s In Flanders Fields bookmarks and pictures depicting our war veterans. These articles once again stirred strong emotions brought on by the fact that Remembrance Day is just around the corner and that the veterans behind these tables are getting older and fewer each year. As I approached the table to place a donation for the Royal Canadian Legion and to get my yearly poppy, a legion veteran stood up with a smile and proceeded to place the poppy onto my jacket. I noticed she had a cane against her chair but she still came over to me before I could tell her that I would come to her. When she finished placing the poppy, we began to talk about the Canadian legion and then the conversation turned to members’ experiences in past wars.
I was amazed to hear stories of camaraderie, courage, life and death. It was easy to laugh at the stories of the friendships they made, the pranks they pulled, the loves they found, all while the war was going on all around them. My smile turned quickly into trying to keep in my tears, while hearing the stories of courage and the tragic loses of their brothers, sisters, neighbours and their best friends. For them, it felt like yesterday and for me it was just what I have read and seen on TV and at the movies.
Just before I left, they handed me a card and explained to me the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy campaign. I was touched and speechless; I always thought the money collected was for the veterans and their legions across Canada but I was very wrong. You see, the money was for many other programs that had nothing to do with them. For example: Purchasing medical equipment for community- health facilities, paying for medical research and training, helping build affordable housing for vets and seniors, paying for bursaries for needy students and providing support services to senior citizens ( like Meals- on- Wheels and drop- in centres and other such services). I always thought these were government programs but, after hearing all this, I made a second donation from the heart and received an amazing hug, just for listening and a donation. I think I got the best of that transaction. When I got home I could not get these veterans’ stories out of my mind; I always thought of them as past heroes, people who have protected us, our freedoms and our rights. Now I see them for the real heroes t they are, heroes who continue to give and ask for nothing. I have watched many champions; idols and brave men and women in my life but none have touched me like this. So this Nov. 11, Remembrance Day, let’s do everything we can for our true heroes, buy a poppy and donate from the heart, attend the parades in their honour and take a moment to reflect and honour what these heroes have really done for us. One last thing, take some time out of your busy day to talk to these ordinary heroes and thank them for everything they have done for this great country and for us.