THUNDER BAY – “We’re losing a lot of our World War II veterans and as you notice when you come to the ceremony, the number of veterans here is getting fewer and fewer. It’s part of my job and responsibility to enlist other veterans," said Ken Milenko the coordinator of the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at Fort William Gardens.
“We’re getting closer and closer to most of our veterans being those who have served in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sudan and Afghanistan. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any end to wars,” he said.
For Milenko, who is a Royal Canadian Legion member, one of the main goals he has each year is to push the importance of Nov. 11 with younger generations.
That was especially true on Monday morning as students from local schools and a large contingent from the local cadets were among those in attendance.
“Their presence is incredibly important to us,” Milenko said. “As we pass on, people forget what Remembrance Day is all about.
Those feelings were shared by Bob Manns, who served in the military from 1965 to 1971.
Manns, who is also the founder and owner of the Northwestern Ontario Military and Police Museum in Kakabeka Falls, was one of two keynote speakers during Monday’s ceremony. He was joined on the stage by Thunder Bay Police Service Chief Darcy Fleury.
“The crowds that were coming to these ceremonies were getting less and less for many years until the war in Afghanistan started,” Manns said. “That really woke a lot of people up and it made them realize the sacrifice that Canadians make in the armed forces. Let’s hope that it doesn’t take another war for that to happen again.
“To the people that came out today, I really appreciate it. Everyone who’s served appreciates the recognition. We don’t do it for that, but it is nice.”
Manns’ family has been involved in the military for multiple generations. He had a relative who fought in the war of 1812 and his great grandfather fought in the Boer War.
“I served in Cyprus and I can say out of all the jobs that I had, being in the Armed Forces was the best,” Manns added.
For Milenko, who served as the bugler for the Last Post during Monday’s ceremony, Remembrance Day means a lot.
“The bugling, the lament, the gunfire, that is still striking for me,” Milenko said. “That’s something I don’t want to see go away.”
