11/08/2026
𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬!
Our hearts are incredibly full tonight! ❤️🎖️
Thank you to everyone who joined us at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 212 Kemptville, for our Veterans Appreciation Dinner on Nov 7, 2026. It was a truly spectacular evening dedicated to celebrating Municipality of North Grenville veterans, active service members, and military families.
A special thank you to our phenomenal Master of Ceremonies, Drew Wilder, for keeping the evening moving smoothly with poise, respect, and humour.
We were incredibly moved and inspired by our keynote speaker, Sgt. Jo-Anne Keays (Ret'd). Her captivating reflections on her journey since graduating as a Parachute Rigger in 1982, alongside her experiences deployed on tours of duty in Bosnia and Afghanistan, reminded us all of the profound depth of Canadian military service and sacrifice.
Because of her early service entry timeline, she was notably awarded the white maple leaf parachute wings, a historically significant qualification mark traditionally associated with parachute riggers posted to the Canadian Airborne Centre (CABC) in Edmonton. Following her operational tours, she also served with the Canadian Forces Personnel Management Development (CFPMD) unit in Edmonton before transitioning to Base Supply
🍁 A HUGE shoutout to:
• Drew Wilder for steering the evening's program,
• Jo-Anne Keays for sharing her powerful story with us,
• Catered Affairs who catered our event and our tireless kitchen crew and volunteers who prepped,
• Navy League parents who served the meal and cleaned up,
• Thank you to all the volunteers who set up the hall for the dinner and set the hall back in order, and
• The executive committee for organizing the evening.
Most importantly, 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐎 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐕𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒. The freedom we enjoy every single day is built entirely upon your sacrifices. Branch 212 is profoundly proud to stand as your home away from home.