Valentines for Vets

It is important to show our respect for our Canadian Veterans' sacrifices all year long. And this is a very special year to do so, as 2005 is the Year of the Veteran. As part of our efforts to mark this special year, we reached out to more than 17,000 schools and organizations across the country asking them to participate in the Valentines for Vets program.

The response was heartfelt. For the first time ever, more than 11,000 hand-crafted Valentines were received as part of the Valentines for Vets program. Valentines of all shapes, sizes and colours were sent to veterans in long-term care facilities all across Canada in time for Valentine's Day.

The Valentines for Vets concept began in 1989 when American advice columnist Ann Landers asked her readers to remember the valiant sacrifices of their nations' veterans.

The personal touch of the hand-crafted Valentines leave a lasting impression on our Veterans. These Valentines contain messages of deep appreciation such as, "Mere words cannot describe how thankful we all are for all of the devotion and hard work it took to go to war."

We hope that all Canadians will continue to remember our nations' veterans over the course of the year and in the years to come. Your continued participation is what makes a program like Valentines for Vets such a huge success.

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