Local Peacekeeper Chapter take on new Task
The local Association of the Peacekeepers Chapter for Western Newfoundland and Labrador are running an on-going project to place small, metal flag holders in the form of a cross with flags on all the graves of veterans buried in the western regionof the island of Newfoundland and in Labrador.
The program was inaugurated on Sunday, June 29th, 2008 at 6:00 pm in South Branch where they placed a flag on the grave of Sergeant Craig Paul Gillam in the presence of his family. Sergeant Gillam was killed in action in Afghanistan on October 3, 2006 while leading a reconnaissance section of the Royal Canadian Dragoons.
Veterans serving for Canada will have a Canadian flag and those who served with the British Forces will have the Union Jack. A Poppy, our nation’s token of remembrance, will be placed on each flag holder
The June 29th ceremony in South Branch marked the beginning of the placement of flags on the graves of veterans on the West Coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. The program will start slowly as it is fairly costly, and all the details on how the program will unfold in all communities has not been worked out to date. But, we will need the participation of the families. For those recently killed in action and buried in Newfoundland, there will be a special ceremony such as the one held for Sergeant Gillam. For the remainder we will assist families and have the flags and flag holders available for them to place on their loved ones graves if they wish.
The Peacekeepers Chapter will accept donations to cover the cost and to date we have received a significant contribution from the Corner Brook Foundry and Fabrication who donated 100 flag holders, which has enabled us to get started on this project. The overall cost for each holder and flag is approximately $25.00.
This program was started in Conception Bay by John Scott and is being replicated by several other groups.
Kevin Hollahan the President of the local peacekeeper Chapter and Winston Childs, Vice President and project leader, explained that it was a very involved, bold and costly program but remembrance has no price and it is our duty.
PLEASE NOTE: More information on the project will be posted to this site in the very near future
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