ASHMONT – Ensuring the sacrifices and stories of local veterans in Ashmont and surrounding areas are not forgotten, the Ashmont Royal Canadian Legion has started a banner project that currently has 25 faces of veterans.
Veterans featured on the banners were either from the community or have family members in the community. Many of the veterans served in World War II.
The banners have been put up just outside the Legion hall in Ashmont.
Dwayne Newby spearheaded the initiative after purchasing a banner through the St. Paul Royal Canadian Legion’s initiative to honour his own father's service.
“There’s a lot of people that didn’t know [the veterans] or what they did when they came back. Some guys went to farming or others into business,” he said.
The idea behind the project is to enhance what the Ashmont Royal Canadian Legion has always done - to keep the memories and legacies of veterans alive, and to help their families commemorate them.
Beyond the banners, the Legion has been working to preserve the personal stories of local veterans, through a collection of photos and histories spanning over 100 individuals. It’s an initiative spearheaded by a local veteran with the help of Ashmont School.
Creating banners for all the veterans would be very expensive for the Legion to do by itself, without the assistance from families, according to Newby. He encourages anyone from the community with a family member who served to reach out if they want a banner made.
“We'll put up anybody’s banner up there,” he said, whether they were a Legion member or not.
For example, one community member originally from Mallaig who now lives in Ashmont reached out to see if she could get her father’s banner done, and Newby said the Legion did.
“These guys did something that I don't know if I could [do] – they left and didn't know if they were coming home,” said Newby.
Among the veterans memorialized at the Legion’s hall, some did not come home, he said.
“I can’t picture what these guys went through,” he said, adding that he could, at least, help preserve their histories. “These guys deserve to be honoured.”
The Ashmont Royal Canadian Legion's Remembrance Day ceremony will take place on November 11.
For those interested in contributing to the banner project or sharing a veteran's story, they can contact Newby at 780-210-1550.
