courtesy Billy Bishop Home & Museum
The Billy Bishop Museum in Owen Sound is marking 25 years of honouring local veterans.
The Honouring Our Local Veterans (HOLV) event is an annual ceremony held by the museum in October recognizing veterans in Grey Bruce.
Museum Curator Morgan Woodhouse says it honours veterans who served in the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, Peacekeeping, Missions, Afghanistan, and Canadians who served in the American Forces during the Vietnam and Gulf Wars.
“We spend a few months interviewing veterans as well as researching people who have been nominated by family members, or members of the Veterans Committee here at the museum,” says Woodhouse. “We put together a plaque about their life and about their service and what they did while they were in the armed forces and then in that ceremony in October, we present them to the veterans or to a family representative. After that ceremony, those plaques then go tour around the community.”
Ahead of the plaque presentation this fall, the museum is holding a reunion luncheon on Aug. 10 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Owen Sound for all Grey Bruce armed forces service members past and present, as well as for community members.
“We will have the return of the 2024 plaques and then lunch served by the Ladies Auxiliary and then an official presentation by retired Brigadier General Daniel MacIsaac,” says Woodhouse.
She says they wanted to host a luncheon separate from the regular plaque presentation in October to mark 25 years of holding the HOLV event.
“I think it is important for the community, it gives them an opportunity to recognize those who have served in the Grey and Bruce County areas and it gives them an opportunity to may be remember those who have passed on as we do include a post humorous recognition as well,” says Woodhouse.
Armed forces members can attend the event for free, while members of the public can purchase tickets for the event on the museum website here.
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