LITTLE CURRENT—As doughty a group of old warriors as could be could asked for gathered in the Anchor Inn upstairs meeting room last week for the charter meeting of the newest chapter of the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada (ANAVETS) association.
The new group is comprised of veterans of the army, navy, air force, police and other uniformed services. ANAVETS is comprised of a Dominion Command, which is located in Ottawa where the headquarters is situated, along with seven provincial commands.
“We are coming together for the benefit of veterans,” said the new ANAVETS chapter president Gary Trimmer of Little Current during the charter luncheon meeting. “We are looking forward to improving things for veterans.”
Currently the Association has units in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia as well as a unit in Woodstock, New Brunswick and even a unit in the United States (ANAVICUS), which is part of the American Legion. Ladies’ auxiliaries may be found at some units. When formed, they come under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Command’s Ladies’ Auxiliaries.
ANAVETS conducts advocacy in support of investments in veterans’ vocational training, improving the new Veterans’ Charter and a host of other veterans’ concerns and issues. The organization also has a range of social activities for their members, as well as supporting youth education through bursaries and scholarships.
“We are very much about supporting the Manitoulin Sea Cadets,” supplied Mr. Trimmer about local unit activities.
