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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2014-11-19, Page 22 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, November 19, 2014 Remembrance Day in Lucknow 2014 Valerie Gillies/Lucknow Sentinel The Lucknow Sentinel invites you to help fill their annual mitten tree. Donations of new mittens, %4 gloves, scarves and hats will be collected until December 12. All donations will become part of the Salvation Army's Christmas packages, delivered to area children who are not as fortunate as others. For more information please contact the staff at the Lucknow Sentinel (519) 528-2822 61hPieut,nas / IUCkNOW SeNtiNeI Honouring the Past, Promoting the Future Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Of the more than 66,000 Cana- dians who died in World War I, almost 20,000 have no identifiable grave. In 2000, the Unknown Sol- dier was selected by the Common- wealth War Graves Commission from a cemetery near Vimy Ridge to be returned to Canada. The Unknown Soldier now rests in a special tomb in front of the National War Memorial in Ottawa. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a reminder to all Canadians of the human cost of our country's commitment to the cause of peace and freedom in the past, in the present and in the future. The Royal Canadian Legion Established in 1926, The Legion is the largest veterans' service organization in Canada, with more than 300,000 members. It has a mission to serve Canada's veter- ans, including military and RCMP members and their families, as well as to promote remembrance and support communities. On Remembrance Day, Novem- ber 11, Legion branches hold Remembrance Ceremonies in communities across Canada. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the l lth month, Canadians pause for two minutes of silence to honour, thank and remember our fallen. Every year, from the last Fri- day in October until November 11, the Legion conducts the Poppy Campaign. Donations received during the Legion's poppy campaign annually raise more than $14 million to sup- port veterans and their families. Locally, funds from the Poppy Drive are used to make goodie bags for veterans at Parkwood Hospital. Each Branch in the Zone provides 12 bags for the veterans. The Legions also pay for veterans' meals at the Zone Veterans' Dinner. Other funds are used to support youth activities that promote remem- brance, such as the poster, essay and poem contests held each year. Almost every Legion branch in Canada is involved in one or more youth programs. The Legion's annual spending on youth exceeds $3.3 million and the donation of over 283,000 volunteer hours. Various Legion branches, including Branch 309 in Luc - know, offer bursaries to postsec- ondary students who are children or grandchildren of veterans. Youth athletics are a major com- ponent of the Legion's youth pro- grams. Through the development of both training- and national -level track and field competitions, young people across Canada are able to participate in sports on a level that can lead to international success. In Lucknow, the Legion sponsors a soccer toumament everyyear that is an integral part of the Strawberry Summerfest celebrations in June. This month, Lucknow hosted the Zone C-1 Pee Wee Hockey Tournament. All of these activities are designed to recognize that young people play a crucial role in the growth of our communities and in continuing the tradition of remembrance.