The Wawota Legion held a Remembrance Day service, where many arrived despite poor road conditions. Following their yearly service a banquet was hosted, with a roast beef luncheon made by the Mountney Ladies.
Jason Ling and Andrew Krieger were veterans who spoke about their experiences in service. Ling was a member of the First Battalion Princess PPCLI and was stationed in Croatia. Ling joined the Royal Regina Rifles at the age of 17. Continuing into the army out of high school he would volunteer for a peace keeping tour in 1993.
At the age of 19 he volunteered to help keep the peace in Yugoslavia where conflict arose between Serbians, Croatians, and Bosnians. The United Nations was asked to send in troops and Canada was amongst the countries who answered the call, including Ling.
Amongst his tasks as a peacekeeper was to take arms from both sides and to simply protect civilians. The mission was difficult as a peacekeeper needed to be under attack before they were able to defend themselves.
Upon returning from his tour Ling explained he had been changed and it took some time before he was able readjust, though his experiences would mean he had been changed forever.
He remembers returning from the tour and not being able to step on grass. While stationed in Croatia remaining on pavement meant safety as mines could be present in grassy areas.
The work they did helped instill peace for a time and he asked that we all remember those who have volunteered for our country, both past and present.
Krieger was a member of the Second Battalion Princess PPCLI and was deployed in Afghanistan. Krieger, too, enlisted when he was 17 and continued in the Canadian Forces following his high school graduation.
Krieger spoke of his personal experiences in a foreign land and the difficult positions soldiers may be put into.
"It is the most difficult thing I will ever have to do in my life," Krieger said of his experiences.
As Krieger spoke, his strong emotions were felt throughout those present. He brought people to their feet in applause, thanking him for his service and showing their support to him for speaking on Remembrance Day.
Both Ling and Krieger were then called back to the front where members of the Legion presented them with a gift for speaking about their experiences, which brought the crowd to their feet once again in support of the two veterans.
The banquet also saw the Legion and Ladies Auxiliary give two bursaries and a scholarship to individuals furthering their education. The scholarship was presented to Courtney Luscomb. The Royal Canadian Legion Auxiliary Ladies Bursary was given to Christopher Colborn and the Poppy Fund Bursary was awarded to Neila Dennis.
Members of the Wawota Legion also travelled to 13 cemeteries in the area, placing Canadian flags at 118 grave markers of veterans.
Approximately 100 people attended the banquet, appreciating the two speakers for sharing their experiences and fighting for our country.
