Postcards for Peace to Canada’s Veterans
Remembrance Day is celebrated on November 11th every year in Canada, and begun as a way to commemorate the service and remember the fallen of those who fought in the First World War.
It is often difficult, especially for younger generations, to be able to relate to these wars, as many do not have family alive who were a part of WWI and WWII, and or do not have people close to them serving in the military.
It is also easy to become desensitized to war, as conflicts worldwide are constantly being discussed on the news, and the stories of individuals are lost and forgotten within the bombardment of information.
That is why it is important to remember history, and these past wars and ongoing wars. The individuals that have become statistics were parents, sons or daughters, and husbands or wives. Countless human lives, military and civilian, were lost, or negatively affected by war.
Many lives, especially of veterans and those currently serving, continue to be effected by the conflict that they served in or are currently serving in.
If you find yourself feeling detached from Remembrance Day, there is a great activity you can do, that is much more personal and individual than participating in a moment of silence or reading a history textbook (although both activities are meaningful).
The Vanier College Students Association (VCSA) has ordered what are called Postcards for Peace from Veterans Affairs Canada.
According to the organization, There are some 600,000 surviving Canadian veterans who served in the military after the Korean War, with their average age being 58, and there are 105,000 serving Canadian Armed Force Personnel in the regular force and reserve.
Your postcard can go to either a veteran or current member of the armed forces. You can write a message of appreciation, a prayer, a poem, or a statement about how you will remember the sacrifices and achievements of veterans and those currently serving.
Write anything you believe would lift their spirits.
You can pick up your Postcard for Peace in the VCSA office C-214 anytime, and return it to their office, where they will handle the mailing for you.
You can also make the postcard for a veteran you know and give it to them in person.
More information can also be found on veterans.gc.ca/educators (Click here).
Written by: India-Lynn Upshaw-Ruffner
