Stubbings was out recently for a look at his Honour Our Veterans banner located on Broadway Street West.
Stubbings who was born and educated in Regina, joined the Royal Canadian Engineers in 1944 after school.
After the war ended, Stubbings, now 95, moved to Yorkton in 1948.
The Royal Canadian Legion General Alexander Ross Branch No. 77 - Yorkton is behind the banner project, now in its second year.
Last year, in the six weeks prior to Remembrance Day, 103 veterans were honoured on forty-one double-sided banners that were displayed on two of Yorkton’s downtown streets and around the cenotaph.
This year the local Legion branch added another 59 veterans on 29 new banners.
It was about three years ago Tamara Hall was visiting Vancouver and saw veteran banners on lamp posts, and an idea was born.
With a grant from the City of Yorkton, the banner project was launched.
At the 2021 program launch local Legion president Ken Gordon said the project would not have happened without a dedicated committee doing the work.
“It takes a great committee, and I can’t thank you enough,” he said at the launch in City Centre Park. “It’s such an honour to work on a project like this.”
Yorkton Mayor Mitch Hippsley said the project has proven to be a great one.
“Last year was a tremendous success,” he said.
And, Hippsley said it is because the project honours people deserving of being remembered.
“It’s because of all the veterans we stand here today,” he said, “. . . I don’t think we can ever stop thanking veterans for all they’ve done for us.”
The Honour Our Veterans banner project gives Yorkton citizens and visitors the opportunity to honour, respect and celebrate veterans from all walks of life and all times of service to the country.
The Legion and city welcome banners for all veterans who have a link to our community and Treaty 4 area. That may mean they lived here, worked here, or have friends or relatives here who want to recognize them.
The program is for any veterans, past or current, from any war, conflict or mission including military, medical, firefighters or RCMP.
And of course Remembrance Day is Nov .11, and there are a number of local activities leading up to the actual service.
- Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. will be the presentation of the first poppy
Locally, the first poppy of the year is presented to Silver Cross, Mother Bonnie Rushowick, which marks the official beginning of the Poppy Campaign. This will happen at the Legion.
Provincially, the first poppy is presented to the Lieutenant Governor, and nationally, the first poppy is presented to the Governor-General of Canada.
- Poppy distribution:
Poppy trays are in-house and the Legion has received three ‘Interac Flash’ tap payment poppy trays that we will distribute to select businesses as well as having on-site during the Remembrance Day Ceremony.
The funds from the tap trays will come back to the local branch.
Poppy trays will be distributed throughout the community by volunteers along with wreaths for participating businesses on or after Oct. 29.
The students from St. Paul's and Yorkdale schools assisted in poppy assembly and packaging this year.
If you have a local business and are interested in signing up to receive a wreath or Poppy tray, please contact the Legion office by calling 306-783-9789.
- Nov. 5th at 10 a.m. will be the raising of the Veteran’s Flag at the Cenotaph –
This marks the beginning of Veteran's Week in our community
- Senior Citizen Homes Color Party visits –
The Legion colour party will be visiting the Bentley and Yorkton Crossing on Nov. 8, for their residents.
The colour party will also be visiting the residents at the Yorkton District Nursing Home on Nov. 9.
Visits to the senior citizen homes are COVID protocol pending.
This year the Legion is excited to be getting help from the Yorkton Fire Protective Services for the colour parties where necessary.
- School Color Party Visits –
This year the Legion has been asked to provide its colour party to the Christ the Teacher School Division schools by recording one ceremony at St. Paul's Elementary School Nov. 10, which will be used at all of the schools in that school district.
The Legion is also going to be visiting the Yorkton Regional High School on Nov. 9, with colour party services.
- Nov. 10th at 1600hrs will be the Candlelight Tribute Ceremony at the Cenotaph:
Candlelight ceremonies began in the Netherlands to show thanks and to honour those who liberated the country and its people from German occupation during the Second World War.
In 1995 the people of the Netherlands held a special ceremony to commemorate their liberation by Canadian forces fifty years earlier. Dutch children placed lit candles on the graves of Canadian soldiers and the candles remained lit overnight in silent tribute. Residents were drawn to the cemeteries by the soft red glow of the candles burning in the dark.
As a result, commemorative candlelight tributes have now become annual ceremonies in the Netherland and other European countries.
Similar tributes take place in Canada both public and private cemeteries and in Yorkton, at the cenotaph.
- Poppy laying at the cemetery veteran plot area –
Legion Vice President Brittany Johnson, along with volunteers, will be laying poppies again this year on veteran headstones at the Yorkton City Cemetery on Nov. 11, in the morning prior to the Remembrance Day services.
If you are interested in volunteering to help with this event, please contact Vice President Brittany at 306-621-9561.
- Nov. 11, Remembrance Day Service –
The local Remembrance Day Service will be open to the public this year pending any COVID protocol changes between now and Remembrance Day.
The service will be held at the Gallagher Centre again in the Flexi Hall.
Guests will have to show proof of double vaccination at the door and the Legion asks for everyone to be prepared with their vaccination proof and a piece of identification to verify vaccination.
The doors to the Flexi Hall will be open starting at 9:30 a.m., and the Legion asks for all guests to be seated by 10:30 a.m. for the ceremony to begin at 10:45.
The Legion will have volunteers set up at two entrances to the Flexi Hall for vaccination checks.
This year, the local branch is pleased to have a very special guest of honour attending and speaking at our service - the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, His Honour the Honourable Russell Mirasty,
This year the post-service luncheon will be by invitation only in order to comply with COVID protocol.
The Legion is also unable to offer our Remembrance Tea this year and hope they will be able to offer it again next year COVID pending.
- We Will Remember Them lawn signs –
This year the Yorkton Legion branch has been selling lawn signs to local community members to display on their front lawns. They have sold over 200 signs thus far and they are looking forward to seeing these as tribute throughout our community.
To purchase your own lawn sign please call the Legion office or contact them on Facebook.
