There’s a fundraising effort underway to repair the cenotaph and war memorial mural in Wiarton, and the legion is holding a big event for it Saturday.
Local legion fundraising chair and Afghanistan War veteran Dan Lisk says the mural is falling apart, explaining, “The mural has disintegrated on the wall, and it’s causing a lot of damage to the building that it’s attached to.”
On Saturday, September 10th, the Wiarton Legion is hosting live music and a fish fry to raise money for the mural and cenotaph project.
At 8 p.m., there will be a big 50/50 raffle. Raffle tickets are $10 each. You can buy them at numerous businesses in Wiarton.
Half of the proceeds will go directly to the cenotaph and mural fund. Raffle prizes are 25, 15, and 10 per cent of the total prize pool. Lisk says there is also a bonus $100 in ‘prize bucks’ at Great Ape Empire.
You can still buy tickets to the legion fish fry at the door Saturday as well.
There are two golf tournaments that are also functioning as fundraisers. One is taking place on Saturday September 10th, and is organized by Lisk’s Wiarton business the Great Ape Empire at Northern Dunes in Hepworth, with proceeds going to the project, and the other was organized by the Wiarton Legion. They are expected to have raised about $3,500 through registrations.
Overall, Lisk says the aim is to raise about $100,000 for the project. That includes community fundraising and possible grants.
He says the cenotaph itself, is a federal heritage site and will need to be refurbished by a professional.
The new mural will incorporate Canada’s military history from its inception to recent, modern military deployments. It will also honour the service of local Indigenous people. The Wiarton legion is the closest one to the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, whose people have made a large contribution to Canada’s military history. Former Chief Greg Nadjiwon is actively involved in the legion and in the mural and cenotaph project.
Lisk says the goal is to create a mural that will remain on the wall for decades to come. Lisk says, “We’re hoping to make this new mural really durable.”
He says the Town, which owns the land the cenotaph is on, is helping with grant applications which must be submitted to the federal government by November 2022. The hope is to have approval and shovels in the ground by Spring 2023, with project completion before Remembrance Day 2023.
“It’s a very important project that we know the community wants to support,” says Lisk.
He says, for those who would like to help, donations are welcome, or you can get involved in the legion. Lisk says it is always looking for new volunteers and new members. You can find more information about the Wiarton Legion on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wiartonlegionbranch208.