A mobile exhibit travelling across Canada to connect, honour and inspire Canadians, will be in Sylvan Lake next week.
It’s An Honour! introduces visitors to the Canadian Honours System — all the awards and medals that the Governor General hands out each year to ordinary Canadians, be it for bravery, military valour, service to the community, academic achievement and excellence, said Katie O’Brian, program manager with the Governor General’s office. “It celebrates the extraordinary achievements of ordinary Canadians.”
The exhibit is housed inside a large 18 wheeler truck which is 27 metres long. The truck opens up anywhere — be it a school parking lot, a field or outside a community centre and visitors climb up into the exhibit.
It’s coming to Sylvan Lake Sunday afternoon in preparation for an event in the town parking lot across from The Royal Canadian Legion Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Then on Tuesday and Wednesday it will be parked at École Fox Run School where students from both Fox Run and École Mother Teresa Catholic School will visit it. It will also be open to the public on Tuesday from 4-7 p.m.
The exhibit is free, accessible and fully bilingual.
It’s fun, interactive and educational, teaching Canadians about the National Honours System and allowing them to see and touch some of the awards and medals themselves, read recipients’ stories and learn how they too can nominate deserving individuals from their communities for these awards and honours.
There are a number of Canadians from the military featured in the exhibit — from those who served in World War I and II, to veterans from Afghanistan. “We’ve even had a sergeant who is featured in the exhibit come and visit,” said O’Brian. “The medals themselves are on display — the Victoria Cross, the Star of Military Valour, the Medal of Military Valour and the Sacrifice Medal.”
Discover stories of honours recipients, test your knowledge of Canada’s national honours and share comments in the exhibit’s interactive areas, states information on the exhibit. Watch an inspiring hologram message from Chris Hadfield, former Canadian astronaut and the first Canadian to hold both the military and civil Meritorious Service Decorations.
The exhibit has been on the road since July 29th when it started in Regina. Over the next two years, the mobile exhibit will journey to schools, community centres, special events and small towns across the country.
For more information visit the website www.gg.ca.