MAIDSTONE, Sask. — Two years ago, a visit to France sparked a journey that would lead to 65 memorial banners being proudly displayed in the town of Maidstone.
While standing on the shores of Normandy, France, history teacher Natasha Wicks was surprised to see banner after banner displaying the faces of Canadian soldiers. These banners were a powerful reminder of the gratitude the French people continue to hold for the Canadians who helped liberate their communities during the Second World War.
During this visit, local citizens approached Wicks and other Canadians with these powerful words: “Welcome, sons and daughters of our liberators.” Those words and the banners stayed with her. She came back to Maidstone and asked, “How do we ensure that their sacrifices are never forgotten? How do we bring their stories home, to the very communities they once called home?”
From those questions, an idea took shape. That idea became the Maidstone Memorial Banners, a project two years in the making, dedicated to honouring local veterans, preserving their stories and ensuring their service is remembered for generations to come. A project of this size could never have happened without the generosity, commitment and support of so many.
The Maidstone Banner Committee spent the next year reviewing applicants and researching information. Louise Hume and Cheryl Sayers took on the important task of researching the Maidstone Legion honour roll, with assistance from Brenda Mitchell. Meanwhile, Natasha Wicks and her History 30 students took responsibility for researching the remaining veterans. Each student selected a veteran from the applications, arranged an interview with family members, carefully documented their story and worked to bring that veteran’s experiences to life.
The project came full circle during the school’s Remembrance Day ceremony, where the students had the honour of unveiling the banners and sharing the stories they had spent so much time learning and preserving. It was an especially meaningful moment to share these stories with the very families whose loved ones they had come to know through the project. The banners were installed along Main Street and Railway Avenue the next day.
The banners were proudly sponsored by the Maidstone Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Town of Maidstone, the Maidstone Legion and Maidstone High School. The Maidstone Memorial Banner Committee extends its sincere gratitude to each of these organizations for their generosity, collaboration and shared commitment to this vision. Their support and contributions helped bring this meaningful project to life, ensuring that the stories and service of our local veterans will be remembered for generations to come. The Banner Committee will be accepting more applications for the 2027 year. To contact: Maidstonememorialbanners@gmail.com
This project has two important goals. First, it is meant to honour and remember the sacrifices of local veterans. The banners will serve as a meaningful reminder of the individuals from our community who helped shape our history and protect our freedoms. Second, this project is designed to involve students in remembering and learning about our veterans. It is important that younger generations understand the courage, sacrifices and experiences of those who served in the past, as well as those who continue to serve today.
