LITTLE CURRENT—Linda Bowerman is a familiar face at any community function, volunteering tirelessly of her time to help make her community a better place—but it is the Royal Canadian Legion and veterans who hold a special place in her heart. Ms. Bowerman has spearheaded the effort to recognize and commemorate veterans in Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands with banners bearing their names and, where possible, their images. That effort has spread to other Island communities and beyond.
In Little Current alone, there are now 72 military banners in place on light standards, in business windows and now, hydro poles, thanks largely in part to her efforts in seeing the project expand.
On Friday, October 18 Ms. Bowerman proudly looked on as JJ Poleline employees placed the latest batch of those banners on hydro poles leading into Little Current.
“Today is a bit of an emotional day for me,” Ms. Bowerman told The Expositor. “The vision I had for the military banners for Little Current is coming true. Today the banners are being hung on the hydro poles at all the entrances to Little Current thanks to Joseph Critchlow (Hydro One lines customer support clerk) of Hydro One.”
Ms. Bowerman explained that she had approached Hydro One in the spring and Mr. Critchlow said he would see what he could do about gaining Hydro One approval to hang the military veteran banners.
Ms. Bowerman was adamant that she could not have accomplished her goal without the support of several local organizations.
“This vision would not have happened without the full support of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 177,” she said. “They have supported the project with monetary donations from their Catch the Ace money so that the people buying the banners only paid $125, not the full $160.”
“The Town of NEMI has supported the project from the beginning, having their workers put them up and take them down, plus providing a donation from the wind mill money ($1,600 from the McLean’s Mountain Road Use Agreement funds over the past three years of the project).”
Ms. Bowerman noted that a generous donation from the Little Current Lions Club was central to her being able to hire JJ Poleline to install the banners on the hydro poles.
“And last to all the folks who purchased a banner in memory or in honour of their loved one,” she said. “A beautiful way to honour them—Lest We Forget.”
