It’s been a banner week for military veterans in Tay Township.
Banners celebrating veterans have begun going up on selected hydro poles and light fixtures within Port McNicoll, Victoria Harbour, Waubaushene and Waverley.
“This is very near and dear to my heart,” project organizer Christine van Zandbergen told about 75 veterans, family members and residents who gathered at Victoria Harbour’s cenotaph for this week’s launch.
They were on hand to celebrate the unveiling of the first four banners to be placed throughout the communities as part of the Tay Memorial Banner Project.
A retired Canadian Armed Forces veteran and Waubaushene resident, Van Zandbergen said the project has been embraced by the entire community.
“I’m very pleased with this program,” she said. “It means the world to me.”
The afternoon ceremony began under sunny skies with Father John giving a blessing followed by Tay Mayor Ted Walker reading In Flanders Fields.
Tay councillor Barry Norris unveiled the first banner honouring War of 1812 veteran Hypolite Brissette.
“He’s one of Tay Township’s oldest known veterans and will always be remembered,” Norris told the crowd with Christine Bressette representing Brissette at the ceremony.
The other three veterans commemorated this week all served in World War II.
They are Kenneth Alfred Pelletier (introduced by Victoria Harbour Legion president Jim Pearson and recognized by son Douglas Pelletier), Ernest Quenelle (introduced by Port McNicoll Legion president Amanda Grant and represented by Dan and Corinne Prevost) and William Wesley Hebner (introduced by Waubaushene Legion president Michele Gouett and represented by Tammi Hebner).
According to van Zandbergen, the people who qualify to be featured on the standard 2-foot by 4-foot sized banners are any veteran, member of the military, or RCMP officer from past or present, who has retired or is serving.
“My main focus with this program is to provide all Tay residents with the opportunity to commemorate their loved ones,” she said. “The amount of universal support I received in organizing this program is nothing short of amazing.”
Gouett said van Zandbergen deserves a great deal of credit for her dedication in taking the project on earlier this year.
“We owe a huge thank you to Christine who brought this forward and brought everyone here today,” Gouett said.
All totalled, 49 veterans will be honoured as part of the Tay Memorial Banner Program.
Besides the aforementioned veterans, others getting banners include: World War II veteran Edward Joseph Bressette, Maxime Desire Bressette, Lorne A. Bressette, Bob Bressette, Lucy Hebner, Peter Laub, Earl Peter Hebner, Robert John Wilson, Charles Cunningham, Marshall Gouett, George W. Pearson, Earl and Ruth Koch (together on one banner), Ronald Roach, Norris Robert Hubbard, Mervyn and Norman Hodgins (together on one banner), William Cadeau, Harvey Seaton, Robert Kinninmonth, Harry Walker, Bill and Marie Thoms (together on one banner), Frank Sidney Milley, Wilfred Lafrance, Winnifred Shephard-Lafrance, Ken and Rita Polkingham (together on one banner), Mansell D. Raymond, Edward Moreau, Charles Rawson, John Albert Belfry, Donald Sylvester Cadeau, Isadore ( Squibb ) Bressette, W.J.A (Hap) Pridham, Bob and Tommy Blanchard (together on one banner) and William Costoff.
As well, World War I veterans Charles Peter Hebner, William Wesley Hebner Sr., Gerard and Lorrinne LaChapelle (together on one banner), Joseph Paul Yves Prevost, Korean War veteran Donald H. Semple along with Darren and Christine van Zandbergen will be honoured.
