From left: Branch 9 First Vice President Tim Popp, Mayor Ames Leslie, Councillor Judy Pruden, Branch 9 President Paula Kulyk, Captain Robert Tannahill and Dean Deary prepare to raise the flag on Mon, Nov. 4. (Julia LovettSquires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Battleford Flag Raising

Battleford pays tribute to veterans with annual poppy flag raising

Nov 4, 2024 | 4:38 PM

The iconic symbol of the red poppy first immortalized by physician, poet and soldier John McCrae on the field of Flanders once again flies outside of Battleford Town Hall.

“It’s like the icing on the cake,” said Paula Kulyk, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 9 President at the small ceremony Monday morning that also included some veterans.

“Besides the actual Remembrance Day Parade and the service, I don’t know how much more tribute we could do,” she said.

Last Friday, the Town of Battleford supported the initiative to have the crosswalk at Second Ave. W. painted with a memorial, bearing a stencil of a soldier and an inscription “Lest We Forget.”

The poppy flies outside Battleford Town Hall. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordNOW Staff)

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It is planned to be a permanent fixture in the community and came to the attention of Kulyk and Mayor Ames Leslie after a mutual friend tagged them in a social media post about another Remembrance Day crosswalk and made inquiries about Battleford joining in the movement.

“I have no words for it, I honestly don’t,” Kulyk said of the crosswalk initiative.

“Something so small just took off and it was amazing to see how many people – whether they helped or they commentated on Facebook – the respect, the honour, they were all for it. It was just amazing to see this small community come together like it did.”

As a result, they believe it is now the first in Saskatchewan and it is quickly spreading in popularity.

“It just goes to show the support and the honour of our people of the Town of Battleford and the area,” said Leslie.

“I hope that it becomes contagious. I’ve had a couple communities reach out to me already saying ‘How did you do it, how did you get this done?’”

The City of North Battleford has even reached out.

“This snowball effect has been great and it’s one that I think everybody can get onboard with and I hope it does go viral,” he added, referring to a video he posted of the painting which has been viewed over 11,000 times in less than a week.

“It definitely is having its impact right across Canada and maybe even further so, it’s good to see an initiative like this getting attention.”

Tim Popp, Branch 9 first vice president was “very proud” of the community’s efforts to honour veterans.

The new crosswalk. (Submitted Photo/Paula Kulyk)

“I’m glad to see that there is a remembrance that’s being carried on,” he said.

“It’s something that we need to always remember come this time of year but it’s something that we should remember…during the whole year and the crosswalk is a very nice touch that the Town of Battleford is doing.”

Leslie explained initiatives such as the crosswalk are imperative to keeping the awareness moving forward.

“Many places across Canada, their memberships are dwindling because the veterans are also dwindling that we try to honour,” he said.

“If this can bring awareness back to legions and our veterans and increase our memberships and support then it’s a project well worth it.”

As Kulyk looked on at the raised flag and spoke to the crosswalk, she fought the overwhelming emotions.

“I’m forever grateful and I know…my parents and all the veterans that are still alive, they’re seeing this and they’re – they – have no words.”

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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