The cenotaph, erected in 1925/26 and unveiled in November of 1926, was a memorial to all those who gave their lives during World War I. At that time, a scroll, with the names of the 600 men who enlisted from the town and area, was placed in a cavity inside the war memorial. The cenotaph now commemorates the contributions of our war veterans from World War I, II and the Korean War.
However, in recent years, the 85-year-old war monument has suffered crumbling and weather damage that has left it in a state of disrepair.
Cracking mortar and deteriorating tyndall stone, an expensive material to replace, are the structure’s main concerns.
The town, along with the Shaunavon Royal Canadian Legion, has been putting forth efforts to get the funds needed to restore the structure.
Longtime Shaunavon resident Barb Wright and her husband Ron are both members of the Legion and are among those dedicated to getting the money to keep the cenotaph standing, and preserve the memories of those soldiers.
“We have a personal tie to it,” explained Wright.
“My father-in-law fought in the war so it’s very important to us to keep paying respect to him and all of the other men that sacrificed their lives,” she added.
The Legion’s efforts have raised several thousand dollars. In fact, about $10,500 has already been put in a special Town reserve for the project, which includes money from the both the Legion and the community.
Town officials have also applied for grants from several government agencies.
The town has already been approved for $10,000.00 in funding from Saskatchewan Heritage for phase 1 work to the cenotaph and Veterans Affairs were meeting last month to decide on another grant application.
Still, even with the grants, the project will need a significant contribution from local fundraising.
The most recent estimates put the cost of repairs at about $72,840.
“We still have to raise a lot of money,” said Legion member Brenda Waldron.
Monday’s concert is just one of several fundraising activities spearheaded for the project. Along with raising some money through ticket sales, organizers also want to use the concert to create a little added awareness for the project.
Volunteers are hoping that community members who feel strongly about the importance of the Cenotaph will come forward with additional donations for the project.
Any business that is interested in more details concerning in-kind donations or corporate donations, can contact town administrator Charmaine Bernath (297-2605) at the Town or Brenda Waldron (297-2003).
Personal donations can be made to the Legion by contacting Waldron or mailing them to RCL #40, Box 1355 Shaunavon and earmarked Cenotaph Restoration Fund. The Town will issue income tax deductible receipts for donations of $25 or more
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