SASKATCHEWAN HELPS HONOUR FALLEN TROOPS

Saskatchewan welcomed the Portraits of Honour National Tour mural this month. The painted mural is 10 feet tall by 50 feet wide and features 157 Canadian troops, including ten from Saskatchewan, who lost their lives in the Afghanistan war.

The national, 171-day mural tour has spent most of August in Saskatchewan visiting various communities. The Portraits of Honour National Tour is presented by Kin Canada. The Government of Saskatchewan provided $9,000 to help present the mural throughout Saskatchewan.

"This is a unique opportunity for Saskatchewan people to remember, honour and celebrate all of our fallen troops and their families," Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Bill Hutchinson said. "I encourage everyone to pay their respects to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and join these worthy celebrations."

The Portraits of Honour mural, now in Regina, has already travelled to Saskatoon, Spiritwood, Prince Albert, Yorkton and Raymore and will continue on to Moose Jaw, Swift Current and Lloydminster. The mural will continue its cross-Canada journey where it will visit the hometowns of our fallen heroes.

The ten Saskatchewan fallen soldiers include:

Lieutenant Justin Boyes;
Sergeant Prescott Shipway;
Corporal Dustin Roy Robert Joseph Wasden;
Master Corporal Joshua Brian Roberts;
Corporal Brendan Anthony Downey;
Corporal Shane Keating;
Corporal David Braun;
Master Corporal Jeffrey Scott Walsh;
Corporal Bryce Jeffrey Keller; and
Corporal Cole D. Bartsch.

For more information about The Portraits of Honour National Tour, please visit: http://www.portraitsofhonour.ca/  

Note to media: The Portraits of Honour National Tour invites the public and media to attend a special ceremony honouring Canada's fallen military heroes and serving members at the Regina Armoury at 3:00 p.m. on Friday August 26, 2011. The ceremony will include greetings from Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Bill Hutchinson.

Public and media are also invited to join the several hundred Kin Canada delegates who have gathered in Regina from across the country, as they march from the Delta Hotel to the Armoury starting at 2:40 p.m.

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For more information, contact:

Janice Wilby
Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: 306-787-5781
Email: janice.wilby@gov.sk.ca

Cell: 306-527-8152 Sean Libin
Portraits of Honour
Calgary
Phone: 306-714-4133
Email: sean@portraitsofhonour.ca