Powell River residents have much to be grateful for this Remembrance Day, November 11. One way to show gratitude is to honour the veterans who fought for us.
When the clock strikes 11 am on the 11th day of the 11th month, we pause in our busy lives and reflect on the people who sacrificed their lives to afford us the freedom we know today.
In recent years, we have had fresh images of the grief families suffer when a loved one is killed. Canada’s military involvement in Afghanistan has taken a steep toll. Members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 164 brought that home to Powell River residents with a memorial wall in Town Centre Mall, depicting each of the 158 service personnel who have lost their lives in combat there.
These soldiers and the sacrifice they and their families made will be honoured this year, along with those who died in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and during peacekeeping missions.
Many Powell Riverites have been wearing poppies in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Day. The poppy was originally a reminder of the blood-red flower, which grew in the fields where many Canadians died in Flanders and it has remained the flower of Remembrance. The donations the Legion collects during the weeks leading up to Remembrance Day are used to assist veterans in our community.
Remembering our veterans and keeping memories of war alive are two of the best ways to avoid war in the future. We can continue to work for peace instead of war by honouring veterans and the memory of those who lost their lives defending their country.
This week we also honour the bravery of two Powell River residents who rescued a driver pinned in his burning vehicle. Russell Werner and Rob Bombardir ignored the risk to themselves and worked together to pull the driver from his van after a head-on collision.
Both Werner and Bombardir are modest about their act of bravery. They both said they only did what anyone would have done, but in that they are not correct. Some people jump in to help despite the risk to themselves, while others stand and watch.
It’s fitting that Governor-General David Johnston awarded Werner and Bombardir the prestigious Medal of Bravery, which recognizes acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances. It’s inspiring to see two Powell River residents, Werner and Bombardir, receive a national honour. Their courage serves as an example for all of us.
