Mayor Rod Finnie says its hard for members of his generation, and those even younger, to imagine what it was like to give their lives for complete strangers living halfway across the world.
But that is exactly what the brave, selfless souls who fought in the Second World War did, Finnie said last week before accepting a framed print from two local veterans.
“We owe a lot to the people that came before us,” Finnie said. “We don’t really appreciate the sacrifices others had to make.”
Veterans George Short and Doug Kirkwood presented the town with a commemorative print recognizing VE-Day – May 8, 1945. It features a throng of gatherers in front of Buckingham Palace celebrating the end of the war in Europe, with a border consisting of Allied nation flags.
Short, who made the presentation on behalf of himself, his family and the Legion, said it is because of the decisions Allied soldiers made – in very difficult situations – that people enjoy freedom today.
He brought the print back from England himself after the 50th anniversary of VE-Day in 1995, and it was framed by Joe Vanderbent, who came from Holland to Canada after the war.
Kirkwood, who has visited Holland, said the gratitude displayed by the Dutch towards Canadians is overwhelming.
Finnie thanked them for the print and said town officials will find a special place for it.
