Richard Froese
South Peace News
Big Lakes County is supporting a special event in Grande Prairie to commemorate war veterans.
At its regular meeting Aug. 23, council passed a motion to contribute $500 to the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association to host a commemoration event Sept. 8-10.
The County’s donation buys two advertisements on the website and event posters, content marketing and metion of Big Lakes County throughout the weekend.
The event will be held to mark the 80th anniversary of the Italian Campaign and the Battle of Ortonia.
Council also passed a motion to send a council representative to attend a dinner and bring words from council.
Reeve Robert Nygaard was absent from the meeting.
Administration will ask Nygaard if he would like to attend.
Council responded to a request from association executive director Renee Charbonneau, who included information about the event.
“This region is deeply connected to the Italian Campaign and the Battle of Ortonia as 56 regional soldiers gave up their lives, 34 of them from the Loyal Edmonton Regiment,” Charbonnneau says.
Grande Prairie was the base for the regiment’s D Company, she notes
The association is an Alberta registered non-profit organization that owns and operates Veterans Memorial Gardens and Interpretive Centre in Grande Prairie, a conditionally recognized museum with the Alberta Museums Association.
Big Lakes first funded the organization four years ago.
At its regular meeting April 10, 2019, council agreed to donate $1,100 to the association to create the Veterans Memorial Gardens in Grande Prairie to honour veterans from northwestern Alberta killed in action.
At that time, Charbonneau said she discovered that 28 soldiers killed in action were from the High Prairie region among 320 from Wabasca to Grande Prairie.
The upcoming event kicks off Sept. 8 at Veterans Memorial Gardens from 6-9 p.m.
A military vehicle display and Cruise-In Show and Shine are set for Sept. 8-9.
A steak dinner is planned for Sept. 8 and a dinner and dance is set for Sept. 10 at 5 p.m.
The weekend event concludes Sept. 10 with a community pancake breakfast and send-off.