This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Canada, which closed in 2021.

Sylvan Lake Flag Tribute Remembers Lives Of Fallen Soldiers (PHOTOS)

Beautiful Flag Tribute Remembers Canada's Fallen

A touching tribute to the lives of fallen Canadian soliders has been erected along a highway near Sylvan Lake, Alta.

More than 100 Canadian flags were placed adjacent to Highway 11 over the weekend, in remembrance of the 116,000 Canadian soliders who have lost their lives since 1900.

Allan Cameron, executive director of Veterans Voices of Canada, said the 116 flags — one flag to represent 1,000 soldiers — are meant to make people "stop, think and remember."

“If we begin to forget one soldier it is going to go down the line and we are going to forget more. The whole idea here is we have to keep remembering," Cameron, who spearheaded the project, told CTV News.

And while the flag unveiling ceremony had been planned for a while, one woman who lost her soldier husband in a car collision said the timing of the event could not have been more perfect.

“In light of the events of the last week it is so heartwarming to see such tremendous public support not only for our serving members but our past serving members," Rhonda Draeger, wife to Sgt. Walter Draeger, told CTV News.

Canada has been mourning the deaths of 53-year-old Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and 24-year-old Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, both who died in separate attacks last week.

“I think our guys, our two fellows who lost their lives last week, I think if they knew what was happening they’ll know that their deaths weren’t in vain,” Cameron told Global News.

The flags were sponsored in the names of fallen soldiers.

According to Sylan Lake News, the flags will remain in place until mid-November, when they will be taken down and presented to the sponsored soldiers' family members.

Canada's Fallen Remembered With Flags

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Canada. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.