Canadian veterans visit Cayman

| 03/02/2017
CNS Local Life

(L-R) Visiting Canadian veteran Dave Flannigan with Andrew McLaughlin of CIVA

(CNS Local Life): Members of the Cayman Islands Veterans Association (CIVA) hosted 56 Canadian veterans and spouses for a day’s visit to Grand Cayman on Wednesday, 1 February, which included participating in an act of remembrance ceremony at the Elmslie Memorial Church. CIVA vice president Andrew McLaughlin welcomed the visitors and Elmslie pastor Rev. Dr Derik Davidson led the prayer.

The remembrance ceremony included a bidding prayer by the Royal Canadian Legion’s Dominion President Dave Flannigan, as well as wreath-laying at the cenotaph on the church grounds. Flannigan laid a wreath on behalf of the visitors, assisted by the legion’s Newfoundland and Labrador Command past president, Ross T. Petten.

Laying the wreath on behalf of CIVA was secretary Graham Walker, assisted by member Loxley Banks.

Local trumpeter Humberto Scanio sounded the Last Post and the gathering observed a minute’s silence in memory of fallen veterans the world over.

The visitors, who arrived on the Carnival Equinox cruise ship, also took a bus tour of Grand Cayman, which included a visit to the Cayman Turtle Centre, Seven Mile Beach and the Tortuga Rum Factory.

Flannigan said the legion has 300,000 members across Canada comprising veterans and legion, associate and affiliate members from Newfoundland to British Columbia.

The legion provides CIVA with the poppies that are used during the annual fundraising drive before Remembrance Day.

Tags: , ,

Category: Uncategorised

Comments are closed.