Over the years, the St. Elizabeth Catholic High School community has commemorated our fallen men and women with dignity and honour; through engaging and impassioned memorial services, music and verse performances, displays and poppy campaigns to honour our veterans. This year will be no different and will be marked in an historic and special way, continuing the legacy beyond the month of November.
Inspired by the recent Invictus Games in Toronto, St. Elizabeth students, led by the school’s Vimy 2017 delegates, dedicated the month of October to honouring and supporting Canadian veterans. Students at St. Elizabeth held an awareness campaign about the challenges faced by veterans and raised funds in support of Operation Veteran, an organization which provides meals to veterans. Mental health issues are one of the leading causes of homelessness among veterans, who make up approximately 5 per cent of Canada’s homeless population. The motto for the school’s campaign was, “To those who served, give what they deserve.”
The Vimy 2017 delegation aimed to raise 100 meals in honour of the 100th Anniversary of the battles of Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele. Culminating on Wednesday October 18th, students and staff were encouraged to pay $2 to take off their uniform for those who served in uniform. The “Warrior Wednesday” Civvies Day was a resounding success raising over $2,300, enough money to purchase over 200 meals for our veterans.
On November 11th 2017, representatives of the Vimy 2017 delegation, along with their facilitators Mrs. Young and Mr. Cheng, will travel to Ottawa to be part of a special Operation Veteran ceremony at the Chateau Laurier. At that ceremony, St. Elizabeth CHS will officially donate a ‘Vimy quilt,’ hand-made by a parent of a St. Elizabeth Vimy delegate, Kimberly Butt, to the Canadian War Museum as a legacy of the school’s participation in the 100th Anniversary of Vimy Ridge. The day in Ottawa will also include a luncheon with key note speakers Dr. Tim Cook, Major-General Turenne and presentations. The Remembrance Day events will conclude with a tour of the Canadian War Museum and its new Vimy exhibit.
St. Elizabeth CHS is among the many YCDSB schools that will be hosting Remembrance Day Services on Friday, November 10th, because Remembrance Day falls on a weekend.