The Veterans Memorial Gardens and Interpretive Centre has set the date for their “Soldiers of Suicide” Memorial unveiling and Weekend of Healing Event.
From August 15th to the 17th, community members are invited to participate in a dedication ceremony and listen to speakers while fostering awareness and support for suicide prevention among veterans.
Officials credit Grande Prairie-based machining and welding company Kaymor Industrial Solutions’ generosity with making the weekend possible. Part of their donation includes the engineering, creation, and installation of a six-foot-tall World War One trench lamp, which symbolizes the effort to “chase the darkness away.”
The memorial hopes to honour Canadian soldiers whose battles did not end once they came home. Officials say the memorial will serve as a reminder of the mental health challenges so many veterans face when they get home.
Additionally, the installation will also pay tribute to the late Lise Charron, a prominent member of the Canadian Army Veterans Unit, who raised funds and worked with Beechwood Cemetary to create the first SOS memorial in Canada’s National Military Cemetary.
