Recapping Veterans Week 2024 at Sunnybrook
Over 75 years ago, in 1948, Sunnybrook opened its doors to care for Canada’s war heroes. While much has changed since then, Sunnybrook continues to honour current and former Canadian Veterans during all year, including Veterans Week, beginning on November 5 and concluding with Remembrance Day on November 11.
Over the course of the week, Sunnybrook holds many different events which recognize the contributions of so many who served and sacrificed. Even before the official start to Veterans Week, Sunnybrook was honoured to host the presentation of Ontario’s first poppy to the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario by the Royal Canadian Legion. Then, on November 8, Indigenous leaders, Veterans and the Sunnybrook community came together to mark Indigenous Veterans Day.
For residents of the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre, this time of year is particularly meaningful and filled with many different emotions. One of the most beloved traditions is the annual visit to the Veterans Centre by players and alumni of the Toronto Maple Leafs. This year, players Jake McCabe and Steven Lorentz were joined by Leafs alumni Darryl Sittler and Shayne Corson, who spent time connecting with Veterans, sharing stories and signing autographs.
Another honoured tradition is Sunnybrook Foundation’s Operation Raise a Flag, marking its 13th year this year. Countless volunteers and Sunnybrook staff came to our Bayview Campus on November 10 to plant 30,000 flags around the campus, each representing heartfelt recognition of our Veterans’ service to Canada. We were honoured to be joined by Mayor Olivia Chow, Don Valley West Councillor Rachel Chernos-Lin and, in the morning on November 11, Premier Doug Ford, all of whom planted flags in tribute to Veterans and had the chance to speak with residents of the Veterans Centre.
Veterans Week at Sunnybrook culminates in the Remembrance Day ceremony on November 11. This year marked an important and welcome milestone: the first time in five years that the service in Warriors’ Hall was held in-person, allowing residents and their family the opportunity to mark the day with Sunnybrook leaders and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces. This year’s ceremony featured Veterans Centre residents Brenda Reid and JJ ST-Laurent who read In Flanders Fields in both English and French, greetings from Honourary Colonel Laura Money of the 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron and a peace prayer, read by Veterans’ Centre resident Nick Borisko. Remembrance Day concluded with a procession to the Cenotaph for an outdoor ceremony which incluced the dedication and laying of the memorial wreaths and a vocal performance by students of John Wanless Public School. The Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association performed a fly-over of Sunnybrook’s Bayview campus.
"At Sunnybrook, we are incredibly proud of the high-quality care we provide to our Veterans. It is a true honour for all of us at Sunnybrook to serve those who have sacrificed so much for our country,” says Dr. Jocelyn Charles, Medical Director at Sunnybrook’s Veterans Centre. “Every member of our team is deeply committed to ensuring the health, dignity, and comfort of each Veteran who calls Sunnybrook home.”
Thank you to all who were able to attend this year’s ceremony both virtually and in-person. If you were unable to watch the ceremony live, you can find a recording on our YouTube channel.
