Canadian Walk for Veterans at McArthur Island Park (Image credit: CFJC)

By Connor Gunn

WALK FOR VETERANS

Kamloops Canadian Walk for Veterans honours lives lost, raises funds for immigration safety initiative

Sep 26, 2022 | 4:10 PM

KAMLOOPS — The inaugural Canadian Walk for Veterans in Kamloops on Saturday (Sept. 24) honoured the lives lost during combat.

The walk at McArthur Island Park saw nearly 30 people paying respect to past and present Canadian veterans.

“For a community of our size for the first year, it is very humbling for people to commit that time — especially having the nice weather and everything going on,” says Veteran Gord Sands.

“For an event for the first year my hope is that we double that next year then double that the year after. The fact that people care in Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo so much about their veterans is heartwarming,” says Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP and Veterans Affairs Critic Frank Caputo.

Eleven cities hosted the walk over the weekend and funds raised through the initiative go toward the program “True Patriot Love.”

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The program helps those who have worked as interpreters, drivers and clerks in Somalia, Rwanda and Afghanistan immigrate to Canada.

“Their goal and our goal is to do everything we can to bring as many in as many [people] in as possible so they can have a safe place to live,” Sands adds.

Many Canadian veterans that fight in wars and survive in conflict zones bring home the trauma they experience.

As Vice Chair of the Standing Committee for Veterans Affairs, Caputo hopes Canadians remember the service veterans have given.

“Sometimes it’s easy to remember from November 1st through to the 11th and then forget about what our veterans have done. In my view, we need to remember 365 days a year and remembering in September is just as important as remembering in November just like it’s important to remember in February.”

A veteran himself, Sands says he’s thankful people were able to make it out to the walk and reiterates the importance of honouring Canadian veterans who have lost their lives and those who have served.

“So many Canadians gave their lives, but also so many Canadians came back home with the trauma of what they experienced, and to share the awareness about that, I believe is a very noble cause,” Sands adds.