Symbols of remembrance grace veteran's graves in Victoria Harbour

Members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 523 in Victoria Harbour placed dozens of Canadian flags at St. Mary's Cemetery and Union Cemetery as a reminder of the sacrifices made by veterans for the sake of freedom and peace.

Officials said they want the younger generation to educate themselves about why it's important to remember.

"Our generation now is the last generation that had actual contact with these men and women who served in the First and Second World Wars. As time goes on and the younger generations come up, they're not as in touch with the veterans as we were, and so it's very important for them to know that there are veterans here and know that these people served our country," said Bob Ladouceur, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 523 president.

Victoria Harbour Legion 523 president, Bob Ladouceur, places a flag at a veterans grave at St. Mary’s Cemetery on Wed., Nov. 1, 2023. (CTV News/Molly Frommer)

Cathi Bozek with the legion spearheaded the idea, highlighting its timeliness amidst the global turmoil.

"We have two major wars going on right now, and it's really important. Our veterans fought for freedom, and the people that are fighting in these other two wars - they're fighting for their freedom. So, it's really important that all of these people need to be recognized," said Bozek with Royal Canadian Legion Branch 523.

Bozek further emphasized the one message she wants people to take away when they see these flags.

"We shouldn't take our freedom for granted. Somebody had to lose their life to give us what we have today," she said.

Canadian flags are displayed at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Victoria Harbour on Wed., Nov. 1, 2023. (CTV News/Molly Frommer)

Tay Township Mayor Ted Walker said council was in full support of the commemorative effort.

"It was unanimous with very little discussion. When you see the number of flags in the two cemeteries, and you relate that to the population that's quite small, it's a significant number of people that contributed," the mayor said.

Flags will be placed on the graves of veterans on three occasions each year, including Decoration Day on June 2, Legion Week in September, and the days leading up to Remembrance Day, ensuring that the memory of the veterans remains alive in the hearts and minds of the community.