Earl Burns (Submitted photo/Aries Mya Burns - grandaughter to Earl Burns.)

By Susan McNeil

Veteran's Walk

Veteran walk will include tribute to Earl Burns

Sep 22, 2022 | 1:34 PM

This Saturday the third Walk for Veterans will happen in Prince Albert and organizers have made sure to include time to honour Earl Burns, a veteran from James Smith who was killed in the mass stabbing earlier this month.

Michelle McKeaveney, a part of the River Valley Resiliency Retreat, said 2022 will be the first in-person walk as the last two years had virtual walks.

“This is actually our first, in-person real Saskatchewan, Canadian Walk for Veterans event,” she said.

The Prince Albert walk will be the only one of its kind in Saskatchewan.

The national organizers choose a cause to support every year if it falls within their mandate of helping veterans and this year, they have focussed on those who helped Canadian soldiers overseas.

Organizational meeting

Stubbs resumes chairperson duties for Catholic School Division.

18h ago

Public safety

Police make arrest regarding multiple Monday assaults and arsons

21h ago

Cooler weather

The snow has stopped, but the colder temperatures have arrived

22h ago

“We have a number of Saskatchewan and Prince Albert veterans who served in Afghanistan…so this is very special for a lot of us,” she said.

People can register online and River Valley gets a percentage of the donations that are made, McKeaveney said, so donors know they are also helping a local initiative.

Walkers should show up at 1:00 at Kinsmen Park at the Kinette Amphitheatre, will listen to some short speeches and then walk around the park as many times as they want.

River Valley and McKeaveney were called as family support when the mass killing on James Smith happened at the start of the month and helped the Burns family as best they could.

Burns was a veteran and served as part of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.

“Because he was a veteran and veterans are in our mandate for River Valley Resiliency, that’s why we are here, it was a no brainer to honour this brave soul,” she said.

Some of the Burns family will be at the walk, McKeaveney said and they continue to pray for Mrs. Burns, who is still recovering from her own injuries.

The event in Prince Albert is one of 11 walks being held across Canada, with hundreds more Canadians supporting the walk virtually by walking in their communities and donating pledges online.

—

susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com