Local Organization or Group

In 2012, the Nova Scotia RCMP Veterans’ Association initiated the Support and Advocacy Committee after recognizing the lack of available assistance and support in pursuing VAC pensions and other retirement issues for RCMP Veterans and their families. The Committee has evolved over the past six years and developed various strategies to support the retired and serving RCMP members and families.

They successfully developed a formally trained group of Division-wide counsellors who provide meaningful responses to requests and organized training courses for Veterans wishing to engage in the program, as well as, delivering fourteen informative workshops in all corners of the province for Veterans and their spouses, utilizing qualified professionals who detail the resources available to the Veterans and families. Further assistance protocols have been developed to support spouses and families through the post-death realities of pension transition and benefits continuation for survivors. The current Co-Directors, Vic and Jan Gorman, also developed a Guide for Survivors and Executors that has been adopted by the RCMP Veterans’ Association Canada-wide.

This growing organization now consists of 28 members spread across Nova Scotia. This past year alone, they handled 400 cases.

The New Chelsea Society was founded in 1952 to provide safe, affordable housing for World War II Veterans and their families in the Vancouver area. Today, it is the third largest non-profit housing provider in the BC lower mainland with 1,432 affordable housing units for Veterans, seniors, families and persons with disabilities. For over a decade, the Society has also operated “Winch House” a supportive housing unit for Veterans of the Canadian Military and First Responders, providing them with a safe and comfortable home while undergoing medical treatment or rehabilitation in the Vancouver area. Over the years, Winch House has provided accommodation to dozens of Veterans.

Since 2013, the Great War Centenary Association (GWCA) has worked to commemorate the extensive contributions of Veterans from Brantford, Brant County, and Six Nations of the Grand River Communities during the First World War.

As a charitable organization, the GWCA’s devoted volunteer base shares a common desire to shine a light on the past. Their work has included, but is certainly not limited to: the creation of a permanent and evolving record of the community’s Great War involvement, educational outreach targeted at youth, various initiatives to promote community interest and inspire remembrance efforts, and the building of partnerships at the local, national, and international level to share their knowledge.

In honouring and bringing awareness to local Veterans of the First World War, the GWCA has made a significant and enriching contribution.

For many fly fishers, the sport is more about the therapeutic benefits of being in calm beautiful surroundings than it is about the catch. This natural therapy is the foundation for Heroes Mending on the Fly, Nova Scotia, which is part of a Canada-wide organization dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled military members, Veterans, and first responders.

It provides participants with an opportunity to learn about and participate in fly fishing while socializing, goal setting, and problem solving with other participants. Learning or rebuilding fly-tying and fly-fishing skills, and using these skills on fishing outings and for lifelong recreation, aids physical and emotional recovery.

Heroes Mending on the Fly offers invaluable benefits. At the physical level, participants learn all about fly fishing—from tying their own flies, and learning how to cast them, to using them on fishing expeditions. Beyond these mechanics, though, the organization unites injured Veterans in an activity that promotes mental health and comradery.

Keith and Sue Henderson are ambassadors for Jasper, AB Legion. They have helped “resurrect” the organization into a “flagship” legion through a can-do attitude. They operate the Jasper Legion Stand-Easy and lead efforts to renovate and re-furbish the space. Also, they initiated the Jasper Veterans’ Low-Cost Housing initiative, assist Veterans in receiving Veterans Affairs “grants”, and provide meal support to those in need.