Two Huron County residents are looking for funding that would help celebrate and preserve the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
David Yates and Conrad Kuiper made a presentation to county council asking for $5,000 in seed funding for the Cenotaph Book Project.
The pair felt it was necessary to recognize the sacrifices made by soldiers with local ties during the First and Second World Wars by writing a book called “For One Fleeting Dream of Right.”
They’re hoping to use the funding to print copies of their book, and all proceeds earned would cover production costs and the remainder would be given back to the county, so that it may use the funding to preserve the monuments themselves.
Yates told council that Huron County has 13 cenotaphs, plus one located in Lucknow that includes the names of service members from Ashfield.
The cenotaphs in Goderich and Wingham also turn 100 this year.
He says that some of the monuments are in need of rejuvenation, and some inscriptions are getting hard to read.
The book would include stories that honour the cenotaphs, a word which translates to “empty tomb”.
Yates and Kuiper say that stories have already been written and photographs of the monuments have been taken, and that everything needs to be assembled into editions of their book. The pair are hoping to release the book in time for Remembrance Day this year.
Council has asked for a staff report on the feasibility of providing the funding, and will address the topic at an upcoming council meeting.
