‘Anything we can do’: Significant donation made to Lethbridge Salute Our Veterans Project

The Lethbridge Salute Our Veterans Project has received a significant donation from a local business.

Southland Trailer Corp. donated $5,000 on Thursday to help grow the program.

The annual project, which recognizes the men and women who have served our country, was launched in 2022 by the Royal Canadian Legion General Stewart Branch No. 4 and the Royal Canadian Air Force Association 702 Wing.

“This project is a two-part program. Veterans Banners will be strategically placed on authorized city light poles in areas with historical military significance, and secondly, a Virtual Banner Website will be created that allows the showing of each banner and tells the story of each veteran,” the project website reads.

One hundred and seventy-nine banners are currently displayed across Lethbridge.

They’ll remain up through Remembrance Day.

Southland was the first corporate sponsor to help the project, donating a total of $20,000.

“There are definitely fundamentals that the Legion has brought to me, and I want to make sure that keeps continuing to my kids and future generations, so anything we can do to keep this alive, (we will),” Scott Sailer, owner of Southland Trailer Corp.

“Lest we forget.”

“We have to put the banners up and take the banners down every year, and that’s a significant cost—just about $10,000 a year now to put them up and (take them) down,” said Dennis Chinner with the project.

To apply for a banner next year or learn about the stories behind banners that are currently displayed, visit lethbridgeveteransbanners.ca.