MONTREAL - Members of the armed forces and their families mingled with Olympic champions and hockey legends Tuesday night at a Montreal fundraiser for Canadian troops.
The Fleurons Glorieux Gala, a red-carpet event held at Windsor station, was a chance to thank soldiers like Maj. Oksana Kuzyshyn and others who have sacrificed themselves for Canada.
"I was deployed three times on three tours. My children grew up without me for some parts of the time, so it's difficult to deal with that," she said.
Over $1,000,000 in funds from corporate sponsorships, private donations and ticket sales will help military families by providing scholarships to children who have lost their parents in combat, as well as sending children of deployed parents to summer camp.
The funds will also support veterans injured in combat.
"This shows that there is a great interest in the broader community. This is all about Canadians looking after Canadians," said gala organizer Blake Goldring from a Canada Company, a non-profit organization that bridges businesses and the military.
Beyond the funds, the recognition in the soldiers' sacrifices goes a long way, said Capt. Gylbaud-Mc Harg, who served in both Afghanistan and Haiti.
"When you see a military guy or a military woman down the street, just say, ‘Thank you.' I think that would be the greatest thing they could offer even before the money," he said.
