Sooke veterans and schools got a visit from a bit of Canadian royalty yesterday, when B.C. Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon stopped by to say hello.
Guichon toured Journey Middle School and Edward Milne Community School, followed by a luncheon at the Sooke Royal Canadian Legion, where she met with every veteran in the legion hall thanking them for their service.
During the event, she honored two of Sooke’s oldest living veterans, Second World War vet Peter Pidwerbeski and Korean War vet John Greene, with the Military Service Pin, which symbolizes the gratitude of the Crown and the people of B.C. for those who’ve served with honour and valour.
In all, Guichon was impressed with the way everything was coordinated and arranged by legion members and volunteers.
“This is the healthiest legion I’ve been in in a long time,” Guichon said. “It is wonderfully vibrant and everyone here is still involved in serving the community, whether it’s the food bank, Girl Guides, or fundraising.”
Pidwerbeski was happy with the event and honoured to be there.
“This was really good, and it was a pleasure and honour to meet Ms. Guichon,” he said.
Serving as the 29th lieutenant-governor of B.C., Guichon plans to visit several legions, as well as 150 schools in different communities throughout the province as part of the Canada 150 celebration.
“The schools [in Sooke] this morning were impressive, a good way to start my 150 schools, a wonderful community,” Guichon said.
Throughout her initiative, Guichon will talk to students and Canadians about Canada’s constitutional monarchy, encourage their participation in democracy, and help better understand the nation’s history.
“Canada has many black marks on its record, but because we’ve evolved slowly, that’s allowed us to learn, to forgive and to be forgiven and to make restitution,” she said. “In many places [in Canada], this year has been declared a year of reconciliation.”
In the next couple of weeks, Guichon will travel to Abbotsford, Kelowna, through the Prairies and towards the East Coast.
