Canadian Air Force veteran Grant Ursaki receives first poppy of annual campaign

Ursaki continued that while he never saw any combat, he began as an air weapon systems technician and quickly became an aircraft maintenance superintendent. He then rose through the ranks and became a Private, and then a Warrant Officer.

He said he initially joined the Air Force because he “wanted to fly fighter planes.”

“I remember the Centennial Air Show here at the airport and a fellow who later was in Prince Albert, Jake Miller, was flying a Voodoo, and another named Rene Serrao was flying a CF-104. They put on an air show that I haven’t forgotten since and as soon as I saw that, I said, ‘you know, I got to get me one of those’. I did get my pilot license through air cadets, but I never did make it to flying fighters. But I got to work on them all over the country and I, thank God, missed going to the Gulf War by about three days. It [ended] before I could get there.”

Speaking on the ever-changing world, he said the younger generation may not know what a poppy symbolizes, nor what Remembrance Day is all about.

“Anyone taking a look at the world today, and with even a passing knowledge of the history of at least the 20th century, I would say lest we forget,” Ursaki explained, sharing a message to the youth. “Lest we forget how we got into World War I, lest we forget how we got into World War II, lest we forget what it cost to make those mistakes.”

“[A poppy] has to do with remembering all of those who went before and who took horrific risks having no idea whether they’re coming home at night or not, whether they’re going to live through the next hour. They’re the ones that did it, and this is in remembrance of that sacrifice.”

Marie Mathers, a World War II veteran and a well-known name in Prince Albert, was the one who handed out the first poppy on Friday as she’s done for the last decade. She has also had a hand in the Remembrance Day ceremony in Prince Albert for decades. With the recent events at CFB Wainwright last week, and with one of the victims hailing from P.A., she said this year will be more somber than anything.

“I find every time there’s something or effect that happens, it just brings the people together. I would say like this year, Remembrance Day will be very heavy.”

“Wearing the poppy makes you remember the red is for the blood that was spilled,” Mathers continued. “If you wear a poppy with pride, you know what it means. If you don’t, you usually ask and to me, it’s very, very important.”

Remembrance Day in Prince Albert will not be at the armoury this year due to renovations. Instead, it will be held across the parking lot at the Prince Albert Exhibition Centre starting at 11 a.m.

The annual poppy campaign kicks off Saturday in Prince Albert, and poppies will be available at stores across the city, including Co-op, Safeway, Superstore, Princess Auto, Save-On-Foods, and Walmart.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

by Logan Lehmann

Canadian Air Force veteran Grant Ursaki receives first poppy of annual campaign

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