WATSON -- Watson residents are honouring local veterans by printing their photos on banners and hanging them throughout the town.
The project was spearheaded by the Schwartz family from the Watson Legion #272. Jim Schwartz and his wife Debbie started by tracking down family members of former members of the Watson and Englefeld Legion from the town’s history book.
“We contacted mostly with people that were Legion members, chartered members of the Legion, and local people that from the area and then just, and then word of mouth got around and people started calling us.”
“It’s a great honour to see it hanging there and I think it is for all family members,” Carole Haussecker said. Her father, Michael Franko, is featured on a banner. Franko was 29-years-old when he enlisted. He was a rifleman and served in Holland, Italy, France and Belgium.
“It’s something to remind us not to forget. Not to forget why we are here and how we got here and got to be free.”
Haussecker said her dad was reluctant to talk about the war but she thinks he wouldn’t mind having his picture up today. She’s proud to display her family’s history.
“It’s quite a tribute to them.”
Schwartz plans to expand the project in the years to come and print more banners. The project includes veterans from the First World War, Second World War and Korean War. More than 200 people from the Watson and Engelfeld area served – more people than there are light posts in Watson.
“It’s astounding," Schwartz said. "You go around the town and you see these photos and you say, can you picture your son or grandson doing this? And to have done that, it’s very important that they did.
“We have to go around and count our posts. We have to see for sure how many we can handle. We won’t be able to do them all so it’s going to be on first come first serve basis.”
The visual display also helps youth grasp the meaning of Remembrance Day, Jim Haussecker said.
“I think it will help them realize what all these people did for our country and I hope they are proud like we are.”
Thirty-eight veterans are featured on the banners hanging on light posts along Main Street and Highway 5. The five foot tall banners are double-sided and feature one veteran on each side. Another banner represents the fallen soldier and the forgotten soldier. Those who died in active duty and never returned to the region are marked with a cross in the left corner of the poster.
The cost of the banners was kept low because Schwartz and others volunteered their labour to the project. Schwartz’s son, Jesse, used his graphic design skills to make the posters. Families of the veterans paid for the costs of printing the banners.
Battleford and Swift Current have also displayed banners.
