The Billy Bishop Museum and Royal Canadian Legion are inviting the public to the 23rd Annual Honouring Our Local Veterans Ceremony.
This year, nine veterans from Grey and Bruce County who have served and sacrificed for their country will be recognized.
Chair of the Billy Bishop Veterans Committee, Dave Alexander, says it’s important to honour service members.
“They have stories that should be told, and this is a forum to do that.”
The HOLV program has so far honoured more than 200 service members who served in the First World War, Second World War, Korean War, Cold War, UN Peacekeeping Missions, and Afghanistan Veterans from both Grey and Bruce Counties.
Those being honoured are nominated and then selected by the Veterans Committee each year.
If a nominee is interested in receiving this distinction, they get interviewed and fill out a survey.
“From that, we make a plaque, which we hold onto for part of a year, and it goes on display at various venues around Owen Sound, and then in June it’s returned to the veteran [or their family].”
The plaque can then be a keepsake for the veteran and for their family.
“It becomes a memory piece for the family, and they can hold onto it forever and pass it on to newer generations.”
This year’s honourees are:
– Sergeant Terry Bates
– Private Alvin Cameron (a posthumous recognition)
– Leading Seaman William Cutting
– Lieutenant Luella Denton (a posthumous recognition)
– Private John DesJardine (a posthumous recognition)
– Lieutenant Colonel James Gale
– Bosun John Garvey
– Sergeant Leonard Smith
– Sergeant Wallace Sprung (a posthumous recognition)
The event will be on Sunday, October 29th starting at 2 p.m. in the auditorium of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 6.
