People may have noticed that long row of Canadian flags that pop up every fall at the Charlottetown Event Grounds — but many don't know why they're there, and what they symbolize.
It's part of a nation-wide initiative called Flags of Remembrance — 128 flags in total, meant to represent 128,000 Canadian military and RCMP members killed or missing in action during armed conflict, from the Boer War to the present.
It's also part of a national fundraiser for Veterans Voices of Canada, a group that works to document the stories of veterans.
Dollars and cents are good, you can do things with that, what you can't buy is the respect and the show of support.- Charlene McInnis, Flags of Remembrance Charlottetown
The fundraiser is based on each flag being sponsored. But even though the campaign has been on the Island for four years, the group usually only gets about 50 of the 128 flags sponsored.
"We'd like to get the word out there," said Charlene McInnis, a coordinator for the Flags of Remembrance Charlottetown committee. "So all organizations, families, individuals, whomever, feels welcome to come to us and sponsor a flag or get involved as a volunteer."
It costs $200 to sponsor a flag. Each one is accompanied by an honour plaque, which can be dedicated to a specific person, or just be left as a general tribute to those who have served.
'Show of respect'
McInnis said the flags aren't just about raising money, it's about showing those who serve their country and their communities that people notice, and people care.
"It's a show of respect and remembrance that our local Islanders can see from their fellow Islanders, that in many instances means more than money," said McInnis.
"Dollars and cents are good, you can do things with that, what you can't buy is the respect and the show of support."
After a portion is taken to contribute to the national initiative of Veterans Voices of Canada, the rest of the funds are kept on the Island. Some of that money is used to replace flags, but most of it gets donated to Summerside's Lest We Forget committee.
That group is in the final phase of plans to erect a permanent memorial outside Credit Union Place.