June 13 & 14: Cornwall, ON : All in the Details

From the moment that the Portraits of Honour Tour arrived in Cornwall, every last moment of our time there was made impactful and memorable by the attention to detail of the Kin and Kinette clubs as well as the local Legion and many volunteers. From the school children, business people, and seniors who lined our route into town waving flags, to the poppy emblazoned zipper pulls given as a guest favour at the gala dinner, the men and women who made this two day long event possible spared no effort in showing just how much they support Portraits of Honour and those the tour aims to help. Pulling together a breakfast, a lunch and two fundraising dinners over the two days, in addition to a car wash, a raffle and 50/50 draw, the team in Cornwall gave it their all in support of our troops. In addition to these efforts, Kin, John Baird, in conjunction with his connections at MacEwen, filled all of the fuel tanks on the tour free of charge - a huge help to the tour. 

the family of Sgt. Marc Leger	hundreds of students show their support
see more pics here

They showed this same kindness when the family of Sgt. Marc Leger visited the Portrait and spoke to the audience about how much it means to a family to know that their sacrifice as parents, the sacrifice of a child, will not be forgotten. The Leger family showed tremendous strength, courage and gratitude both to artist Dave Sopha and all those who had organized the day's proceedings.

The following dedication,  spoken at the gala dinner on Monday by Kin President Lee Burry, shows the thoughtfulness of those who arranged the day's events in using small symbols to honour and remember our fallen heros. 

" You may have noticed the small table set for one that is off on it's own, it is reserved to honour our fallen comrades in arms. This symbolizes that they are with us here in spirit. We should never forget the brave men and women who answered our nation's call to serve and served the cause of freedom in a special way. We are ever mindful that the sweetness of enduring peace has been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice. We are compelled to never forge that while we enjoy our daily pleasures, there are others who have endured the agonies of pain, deprivation and death. 

The table is round to show our everlasting concern for our fallen comrades; the tablecloth, white, symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering their call to duty; the single red rose reminds us of the life of each of our fallen comrades and the loved ones and friends of these fallen who keep the faith. The vase is tied with a red ribbon, symbol of our continued determination to remember our fallen comrades. A slice of lemon on the plate is to remind us of the bitter fate of those who will never return. A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears shed by the families of those who have sacrificed all; the glass, inverted, as they cannot toast us at this time; the chair empty because they are no longer with us. 

Let us remember and never forget their sacrifice. May they and their families ever be watched over and protected. To our fallen!"