Nearly 200 people, including veterans and their relatives, members of the 56th Field Artillery Regiment, local dignitaries, cadets and first responders paid tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice during this year’s Thank-A-Vet Luncheon on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
Among those in attendance was Brantford resident Mary Luciani Thompson.
The 102-year-old served as a private for the Canadian Women Army Corps during the Second World War, setting up barracks for soldiers in London, Windsor, Kitchener and Montreal. Her late husband, Doug Thompson, served with the South Alberta Regiment of the Canadian Army.
Following the piping in of the colour guard, the playing of the national anthem, the Act of Remembrance and the singing of God Save the King, luncheon co-Chair and master of ceremonies Dave Levac, invited Bob Ion of the Canadian Military Heritage Museum to light the candle at the remembrance table in honour of Leonard Hill.
Key items of the missing service member table include an empty chair representing the absence, a white tablecloth symbolizing the purity of their intentions, a single red rose representing their sacrifice and loved ones, a slice of lemon symbolizing their bitter fate, a pinch of salt for their families’ tears and inverted glass representing the inability to join a toast.
“This year, we’re honouring the family of Leonard Martin Hill, a beloved veteran of the Korean War who passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 97. He joined the Canadian Army in 1948 and completed his basic training at Camp Borden before heading to Wainwright, Alberta, where he joined the Lord Strathcona’s Horse Regiment,” Levac said. “A vehicle technician, Len served in Korea from 1953 to 1954 before transferring to the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in 1957. Len retired with the rank of warrant officer in 1972. He volunteered with Scouting and the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in Brantford from 1975 to 1983, and was a steadfast volunteer at the Canadian Military Heritage Museum since the day it opened. Today we pause and remember Len Hill and every person who has served and has gone before us and gave the ultimate sacrifice.”
Levac then presented County of Brant Mayor David Bailey and Stephanie DeLaronde with a recognition award before welcoming a representative of the 56th Field Artillery Regiment and local dignitaries to say a few words.
One by one, Hon. Lt.-Col. Tim Young, Dan Muys, MP for Flamborough–Glanbrook–Brant North; Will Bouma, MPP for Brantford–Brant; Bailey and Kevin Davis, Mayor for the City of Brantford all spoke to share their gratitude.
Levac then invited Petty Officer First Class Joshua Ocampo of the 135 Royal Canadian Sea Cadets Corps Admiral Nelles, Master Warrant Officer Danyka Jorgensen of the 2659 56th Field Regiment Royal Canadian Army Cadets, and Sergeant Aarushi Chaudhary of the 104 Starfighter Royal Canadian Air Cadets, up to the front to talk about what it means to be a service person and a veteran, and the importance of honouring them.
“This Remembrance Day, like all others, we are gathered to shine a light on you. The foundations you built to create our great, united, strong, and free nation of today. We are called to remember not as a mandatory civic duty as Canadians, but rather as a society of peacemakers, far and wide, sea to sea,” said Ocampo. “We gather for one week, one day, one hour, to remember the ultimate decision that you chose to take up arms and serve. Your service, long or short, domestic or abroad, lingers today. Your example of bravery, courage, and initiative continues to influence our community for only the good. …I could go on and on about the glory of victory, the need for more recognition of service, the contributions and impact you have made on a global scale. However, I believe the simplest answer yields the largest outcome: a small, yet vocalized thank you.”
Jorgensen then spoke, touching on three things veterans have taught her.
“I have come to deeply respect the humility that so many veterans demonstrate. Whenever I hear veterans speak about their experiences, they often speak most passionately about the people beside them, they talk about the friendships they built, the challenges they faced together, and the sense of purpose they shared. There is something almost powerful about that,” she said. “It reminds me that service is not about recognition or praise; it is about showing up, doing what is needed, and contributing to something important. …Veterans have shown me that some of the most meaningful acts of service are often the quiet ones. They are not always the acts that receive recognition or reward. Sometimes they are simply people choosing to support those around them and putting the needs of others ahead of their own. To me, remembrance is not only about honouring those who served, but also about learning from their example and carrying those lessons forward in our own lives.”
Before the event drew to a close and lunch was served, Chaudhary took to the podium, offering a final reminder of the sacrifices made by veterans.
“Oftentimes, we talk about everything our veterans gave up, but perhaps they never really understood the sacrifice they made. They didn’t just risk losing their lives; they risked losing the chance to discover who they may have become, and uncover all the memories that make life worth living. The very future they fought for is the present we are living in today,” she said. “For many of us, war is simply something that exists in textbooks, photographs, and speeches like this one,” she continued. “Sometimes history can feel like something that happened centuries ago, dates we study for and hope to remember for a test, but the people from those history lessons were real. They were young people once too. They had people who cared about them, plans for the future, and days when they felt like doing nothing, just like us. The difference is they were asked to face things some of us can’t even imagine.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
