128 Flags of Remembrance raised in Kingston to honour Canadian soldiers

For the third year in a row, Kingston is participating in the annual Flags of Remembrance tribute, organized by Veteran Voices of Canada.

On Bayridge Drive, 128 flags were raised Saturday morning to honour the 128,000 Canadian soldiers who fought for our country, from the Boer War to present day.

So far, more than two dozen of the flags have been sponsored by local Kingstonians.

“It’s $200 minimum. You get the plaque with your hero on it and you also get the flag that’s flown with it. And we present it at a closing ceremony,” said Robin Chabot, the site representative.

Half of the proceeds will go to Veteran Voices Canada and the other to this year’s charity, the Canadian Association of Disabled Skiers.

Pierre Tasse, a Canadian military veteran of four decades, was on site for the opening ceremony with his daughter who sponsored a flag in his honour.

Tasse said it’s a bittersweet feeling as he recognized some of the names on the plaques.

“It’s emotional to remember and to see some of the names of people that were with you. You’re living and they’re not,” said Tasse.

In 2015, one provincial flag and seven Canadian flags were stolen from the Kingston memorial in what some called a “horrific act of vandalism.”

To prevent a similar incident from happening again, local volunteers will be monitoring the site every night.

Members of the local branch of Veterans UN-NATO Canada said the public is welcome to volunteer as well.

“There’s always going to be a veteran here to answer questions if you want. It would be kind of nice to have someone to talk to because it gets a little lonely here at night,” said Christian Krimp, a Canadian military veteran.

The Flags of Remembrance will fly proud until Nov. 12.