Poppies, transition and healing
- Details
- Published on Sunday, February 21, 2016
By Warren Smallwood
Publicity
The local Legion Branch 75 is donating $1,500 from its Poppy Fund to the Veterans Transition Network. VTN has moved into the Manitoba/Northwest Ontario Command and the command office has agreed to match funds up to $50,000 to support this organization.
The network runs courses and intensive workshops for veterans leaving the military and re-entering civilian life. The people involved in this program have an intimate knowledge of life in the military and the unique challenges deployment can bring to individual and family situations. Their success rate dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder among wounded soldiers is impressive. More information about this organization can be found at vtncanada.org.
Poppy Funds at all levels of the Royal Canadian Legion are considered trust funds; money raised by the sale of poppies, wreaths and crosses cannot be used for general legion expenses. They must be limited to serving the needs of veterans and their families; this includes serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP. Donations to special projects like VTN are limited to 25 per cent of the Poppy Fund at the time of donation. The Rivers branch would have donated more if it could. Members of the public can donate directly to VTN if they would like to support this worthwhile cause.
The mission statement of the Royal Canadian Legion reads, “Our mission is to serve veterans, which includes serving military and RCMP and their families, to promote remembrance, and to serve our communities and our country.” The wording has remained essentially unchanged during the 90-plus years the organization has been in existence. However, what we are doing to fulfill our mission is going through a serious transition.
After the two world wars, our service personnel came home to resume civilian life and raise families in a safe environment. They had gone to a front line, stood in harm’s way, saw comrades fall and came home. They recognized duty, King and country, and were recognized for what they did. Korea was listed as a “police action” of the United Nations and some at the time did not consider it a real war. Various peacekeeping operations followed around the world, but often there were no front lines, no uniformed enemy to fight and no real way to determine if they were winning or losing. Today our veterans may be working in failed states with no viable governments, that are controlled by gangs, drug lords or foreign terrorist organizations. The battle has come to our streets, our businesses and even our schools.
At our last Remembrance Day service we honoured only five remaining war veterans in Rivers. But, there are still veterans today willing to stand in harm’s way to preserve our freedom and keep us safe. They are still suffering physical, emotional and psychological wounds and need our assistance. According to a 2012 study released by International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, more veterans today die from suicide than in combat. We will remember them.
