Veterans, youth celebrate remembrance through art and literature
Over 100 people gathered at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 170 Uxbridge on Sunday, April 21, to recognize the accomplishments of all the participating students in the Royal Canadian Legion Annual Remembrance Poster and Literary Contests.
Through the contest, Canadian school children honour Canada's veterans through creative art and writing, and ultimately perpetuate remembrance.
Veterans, students, Legion members, teachers, family, and friends gathered to view the exhibits, celebrate the accomplishments of the award winners and all of those who entered the contest, listen to guest speaker, D-Day veteran Jim Parks share a few words about his service and remembrance, and enjoy a time of fellowship.
Local students show off their award-winning artwork and writing at an awards ceremony at the Legion on Saturday, April 21. Their pieces were personally shown to local veterans who attended the ceremony. Photo submitted by Tish MacDonald
“It was our pleasure to watch the students show their contest entries to their family members,” said Tish MacDonald, program director for the Honour Them Well Remembrance Program. “And then at the end of our ceremony, it was an absolute delight to watch the students show their entries to the veterans and engage in wonderful conversations.”
Said UN Peacekeeping veteran Al Bainbridge, “I was really pleased to see all the talent, individuality, and work put into the artwork by the students. I was really impressed by one family with four children who won prizes and were very knowledgeable about what the veterans did.”
Each year, thousands of students across the country submit entries for the National Poster and Literary Contest. MacDonald says she is thankful to Uxbridge teachers and parents for encouraging their students/children to take part in the contest and participate in the action of Remembrance.
Information for the 2024-2025 contest will be distributed to schools in the fall and shared in print and on social media. Information can also be found at legion.ca/.../youth.../remembrance-contests