Photo source: St. Thomas Downtown Development Board Facebook page
Families in St. Thomas are being invited to honour the veterans in their lives through a new community tribute project coming to downtown.
The St. Thomas Downtown Development Board and Lord Elgin Branch 41 of the Royal Canadian Legion are working together to bring commemorative banners featuring local veterans to downtown streets.
The project has support from the Elgin Military Museum and Van Pelt’s Business Solutions, shares DDB Chair Grayden Laing, and builds on a similar banner initiative that has been done in the community in the past.
Families can submit a photo of a veteran they would like to honour, along with information about the war or deployment they served in and their division.
Each banner costs $120, which helps cover production and installation. Any additional funds raised beyond the project’s costs will be donated back to the Legion. The Downtown Development Board is providing the staff to install the banners, while Van Pelt’s is donating the printing. Ian Raven from the Elgin Military Museum is also helping review the submissions, including the service information and imagery, to ensure the banners are prepared accurately.
This year’s deadline for submissions is September 29th, but Laing says families who miss the that can still get involved in next year’s project.
For families, the project offers a way to put a familiar face and personal story behind the names of those who served, while creating a visible reminder of that service for everyone visiting downtown.
To take part, contact Grayden Laing with the St. Thomas Downtown Development Board at 647-269-4415 or ddb@stthomas.ca.
Written by: Kennedy Freeman
