On Saturday, a number of volunteers did some backbreaking work along the Highway of Heroes. It was the start of the 2021 Spring Clean of the Highway of Heroes with military members, veterans, first responders, Silver Cross mothers along with families of the fallen soldiers, politicians and local citizens coming out to keep Ontario beautiful.
Twice a year volunteers from across Ontario come together to keep Ontario clean. The volunteers gathered at Toronto Road in Port Hope where the on and off-ramps are dedicated to Silver Cross Mother, Anna Loveman’s son, Craftsman Kyle Sinclair.
Road signs along the highway say that there is a $500 fine for littering but it often goes either unnoticed or they are ignored. All aluminum cans are all turned in to The Beer Store and the money donated to charity.
Volunteers are here to keep Ontario beautiful. But the importance of their mission is to pay respects to the fallen heroes of Canada that were repatriated during the Afghanistan war. From CFB Trenton to Toronto thousands of people would line the bridges along the Highway of Heroes paying respects to the fallen and their families.
For the next several weeks, these volunteers wearing bright orange vests will be cleaning the 344 km of highway.If you see garbage bags along the ramps, they’ve already been there and the bags will be picked up shortly by highway workers.
From 2001 to 2014 Canada lost 158 members of the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan. These volunteers who give so much of their time twice a year cleaning up after others are shining examples of the true, north strong and free.
If anyone is interested in volunteering contact ktadeu@cogeco.ca.
~Derek
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