On Saturday morning, Veterans Voices of Canada will once again transform a stretch of Highway 11 east of Sylvan Lake into a powerful corridor of memory.
The gathering starts at 11 a.m. near the Blue Grass Sod Farm at the intersection of Highway 11 and Range Road 12, where organizers will raise 128 full-sized Canadian flags.
Each flag stands for 1,000 of the roughly 128,000 Canadian military members and RCMP officers who have been killed or listed as missing in action since the Boer War.
VVC founder Al Cameron described the annual gathering as a living tribute that began in 2014.
“We hope to see a really big crowd,” he said. “Military personnel, first responders, civilians—anyone who wants to honour those who served—are all welcome.”
This year’s program includes VIP speakers and two pipe and drum bands that will open the ceremony. At noon participants will take part in the veteran horse walk, moving along the line of flags in what Cameron called “a pretty amazing sight.”
The display is designed to catch the attention of drivers and prompt reflection.
Beneath every flag sits a plaque of honour. Families or individuals can sponsor either a flag or a plaque to commemorate a specific military member or first responder; Veterans Voices of Canada then creates a personalized plaque bearing that person’s name.
Those interested in supporting the project can reach the group at info@vetvoicecan.org
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