Local branches of the Royal Canadian Legion are throwing a party this weekend to recognize veterans of the war in Afghanistan.
Most of Canada’s troops are now back home as the nation wraps up its 10-year combat mission in Afghanistan. Thousands of soldiers have fought there in the last decade, and 157 have died.
The Royal Canadian Legion is holding a national Afghanistan Veterans Appreciation Day this weekend to show Canada’s support for the efforts of these men and women, says Lucie Roy, president of the ladies auxiliary at the Morinville Legion (Branch 176). About 17 Legions in Alberta, including the one in St. Albert, will be taking part.
Canadians who fought in the Korean War received little recognition upon their return, she says, and the Legion didn’t want a repeat that mistake. “The whole aim is to say thank you to the troops.”
Veterans attending the festivities will receive a certificate, hat, pin and ribbon, Roy says, and be offered a free one-year membership with the Legion. The Morinville event will involve a wreath-laying ceremony, a barbecue, and an address by Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Ken Kowalski, who will present a second certificate to the veterans.
Morinville’s party starts at 10 a.m. this Sunday at the Legion office on 101 Avenue, Roy says.
St. Albert’s event will be Saturday at 1 p.m., says Debby Burr, spokesperson for the St. Albert Legion. Held at Cornerstone Hall on TachĂ© Street, it will feature the band Britz, a magician and a bouncy castle.
There are plenty of Afghanistan veterans in St. Albert and Sturgeon County, Roy says — she knows of 30 herself — but she wasn’t sure how many would be able to attend these events.
Warrant Officer Dave Shultz of St. Albert says he hopes to make it to one of them. Shultz served two tours in Afghanistan, and received a Star of Military Valour for his actions during an intense battle in 2008.
The experience gave him a new appreciation of what it’s like to be Canadian, he says.
“Here we’ve got houses and flush toilets and a hot meal. Out there, you’re living underneath a vehicle tarp. … It doesn’t get any better than living in Canada, and people here should be grateful for what they’ve got.”
It takes exceptional courage to put on a uniform and go into a dangerous place like Afghanistan, Kowalski says, and that commitment is worthy of our appreciation.
“They’ve done their duty in a way most of us will never [do],” he says. “I give the ultimate thanks to those people that did go. They’re real heroes.”
This is something soldiers are paid to do, Shultz says, and they don’t expect to be thanked every day.
“But it’s nice to hear from the people we do it for that they understand we’re making certain sacrifices on their behalf.”
Both events are open to the public. For details, call Roy at 780-939-4370 or Burr at 780-458-3330.
