Korean War vets treated to Christmas luncheon
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/12/2010 (5752 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Sometimes the only way to say thanks is with a hearty holiday meal.
On Wednesday, local members of the Korea Veterans Association of Canada were treated to their second annual Christmas lunch at the Chalet restaurant, where the camaraderie of soldiers fit the festive mood.
"They fought for our country, we’re just paying them back," Chalet manager Kyu Kim said. "We learned about it in elementary school, but here you learn in Grade 11, and there’s little detail."
Kim speaks of the Korean war, often referred to as the forgotten war. Kim’s family is from South Korea, his dad David is the Chalet chef and they have been in Canada for 10 years.
The free lunch of warm soup, steak, potatoes and cake meant a lot to the Canadian veterans, who were truly honoured by the gesture.
"They insisted we have a lovely Christmas meal, for our veterans and their families," said Korea Veterans Association president Peter Ewasiuk. "We get treated so well by them."
Ewasiuk served 15 months in the Korean War with the men around the table, and the group of 20 veterans from Brandon get together three times a week.
Despite being connected by their war experience, the group chatted merrily in their matching green jackets emblazoned with multiple flags and badges.
"I served in each one of these countries," veteran Tom Cathro said, pointing to the side of his sleeve where a long line of flags are sewn.
Surrounded by his comrades, Cathro spoke openly about where he’d been in Korea and his experience. When asked if he’d shared these stories with any of his 12 grandchildren, he silently shook his head: "Forget it."
But Joan White, 80, couldn’t forget waiting through two Christmas seasons to see her husband, David, 81, again.
"It was lonely, I was just married," Joan said. The couple got married on Dec. 16, 1950, just before David was sent over. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.
"The veterans are treated very well now, people are so kind," Joan said, as a server brought out the main course.
For these men and their wives, it is the recognition of war and the sacrifice of those who served that is the best gift.
In August 2011, the final national reunion of the Canadian Korean War veterans will be held at the Fairmont hotel in Winnipeg.
"The Last Hurrah" will be held for the approximately 600 remaining Korean War veterans, their families and allied guests from across Canada.
"That will be the last time I see all of my friends together again," Ewasiuk said, as each year the number of Korean War veterans decreases.
"We might not be able to do an event like this in five years."
The Kim family intends on continuing the veterans’ Christmas lunch in the future.