To relieve suffering in the world, Vancouver resident and Canadian veteran Billy Willbond and his wife Lynne started ICROSS Canada (International Community for the Relief of Suffering and Starvation). Since its inception in 1998, ICROSS Canada has repurposed and distributed millions of dollars’ worth of medical equipment to suffering Third World villages, sent medical aid and much more. Billy sought and received permission from Carol Isfeld to use the Izzy doll for, as Billy put it: “the poorest of the poor on the planet.” Carol suggested the knitters and crocheters use darker colours for the skin tones, making the dolls more real for these children. It would be called the “Izzy African Comfort Doll” and even more crafters were excited to volunteer.
Although Billy’s death in 2014 has left an unmistakable void, many veterans across Canada—including Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie (Retired), the patron of ICROSS Canada—continue to collect used hospital equipment, Izzy dolls, African comfort dolls, and medicines for shipment to Third World countries and countries needing assistance.
Much has happened in the years following Mark’s death. More than 1.5 million Izzy dolls have brought comfort, peace and love not only to the innocent victims of war but also to children suffering globally because of natural disasters, starvation, displacement and trauma. Many Canadian charities, doctors, health care workers, students and others also take thousands of Izzy dolls with them each year to distribute to children in South America and Third World countries.
In 2007, following the death of Carol Isfeld, I became the “Izzy Doll Mama.” I’m fortunate to be working in partnership with the Canadian Military Engineers, other Canadian Armed Forces personnel and, in particular, with former Canadian Military Engineer Association president Lt.-Col. Ken Holmes (Retired), who is my military adviser. As well as those mentioned above, the Isfeld family and the multi-talented singer, songwriter and author Phyllis Wheaton, whose book In the Mood for Peace: The Story of the Izzy Doll was published in 2011, have taught me the true meaning of “humanitarian.” Here is a short excerpt from In the Mood for Peace:
“(1 Combat Engineer Regiment members)…were witness to Izzy’s beaming smile while packing homemade knitted dolls in his uniform pockets—they even teased him about it in the beginning. But as they, too, began to give out dolls (following his death), they could attest to the joy of the children, hands outstretched to receive these gifts. It was a good feeling, a momentary pleasure that indeed lifted the spirits of the giver and receiver even in the midst of the most forsaken circumstances. It was at this point that Mark’s troop named the dolls the Izzy doll, after their friend and brother. Carol said she was overjoyed at 1CER’s benevolence that would ensure the children of war were not forgotten, and that her son would be remembered through this legacy project. It was at this moment that the Izzy doll began to take on its stature as a phenomenon—not yet in numbers, but in direction. No longer a mother and son project, the 1CER had given the Izzy doll wings that would take this homemade toy to the farthest reaches of the earth, cheering hundreds of thousands of children in the years to come.”
The giving of time, talent and love that Canadians across the country have shown for the suffering children of the world through the Canadian Military Engineering Izzy Doll Project continues to be a journey of love.
—by Shirley O’Connell, Perth, Ontario
A Letter Home From Afghanistan
A military veteran who served in Afghanistan shares her thoughts and experiences
I was a 24-year-old private when I served with the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan. Upon my return from that deployment in 2010, I wrote a letter to the students of Joseph Teres Elementary School in Winnipeg, which I attended as a child. The school wanted a story from an active soldier to present as part of its Remembrance Day service. I was honoured to provide my thoughts on the role of Canada’s Armed Forces in general, as well as a description of my time in Afghanistan. Recently, my mom suggested that my letter from back then might be of interest to other Canadians, Our Canada readers in particular—so, here it is!
My name is Caitlin Yacucha and I am a soldier. My job is to set up and talk on radios and many other different pieces of technology. I have been in the military for five years and have travelled all over Canada.
The Canadian military has an important job in Canada. We provide aid for natural disasters, like the floods in Winnipeg or the ice storms in Quebec. It is important to us that Canadians understand what our mission is and that we have their support. That means a lot to soldiers, especially when they are far from home and their families.
I went to Afghanistan from November 2009 to September 2010. That’s ten months, almost one year. When Canadian soldiers go overseas, we are trying to help people. In Afghanistan, we sought to achieve peace and stability. We try to help people and children by building schools, medical clinics and roads. We also help to train the Afghan army and police, so they can protect their own country.
I remember when I first arrived in Kandahar, Afghanistan, after more than 15 hours of flying, and it was cold outside! Even though it’s in the desert, there is still winter. Although we didn’t get any snow, it was always really dusty. There was a lot of sand everywhere. When summer came, it started getting hot. Sometimes the temperature was more than 60° Celsius outside! It was definitely a different world over there, and it made soldiers happy to receive letters or packages that had little pieces of home inside. Sometimes our families sent us games or candy!
I was in Afghanistan over Christmas and I had to work on Christmas morning. It was a great feeling coming in to work and seeing a whole pile of cards and letters from home. And they were from people we didn’t even know! But those letters reminded us of home and that, even though we were far away, we hadn’t been forgotten. We tried to make the best of it and we were lucky enough to have a Tim Hortons and a hockey rink in the main camp! We worked with lots of different nationalities too, such as Americans, the British and Australians. It was fun making friends with people from so many other countries.
It wasn’t all fun, though. Afghanistan is a theatre of war and there were a lot of times that our camp was attacked by rockets that exploded within our fences. We could always hear guns firing and helicopters and fighter jets screaming through the sky. There were too many times that I stood on parade at the position of attention, my hand raised in salute as fallen soldiers were being carried into an airplane back to Canada or the United States while “Amazing Grace” played in the background.
Remembering the soldiers who fought and died in the world wars, other conflicts and during peacekeeping operations is very important. They helped define what Canada is today and that’s something that we can all be proud of. We can learn a lot from the veterans of these tragedies. Who we must not forget is the new generation of veterans of Afghanistan. Their stories are just as important in the fabric of our nation’s identity and it is our duty as Canadians to remember them and learn from them. There are stories that I will have in my mind for the rest of my life. I am proud to be a Canadian soldier and will continue to carry the torch passed on by those who have fallen before me. For I am a veteran and I will never forget.
—by Sgt. Caitlin Yacucha, Winnipeg, Manitoba
A Tribute to Our Vets on Remembrance Day
“Flags of Remembrance” raised simultaneously at sites across the country are a visual reminder of sacrifices made
As a proud Canadian, as well as the founder of Veteran Voices of Canada, which recently marked its tenth anniversary, I feel Canadians need to be visually reminded more often of what our servicemen and women have sacrificed for their fellow Canadians throughout the years. We also need to continue to build on our sense of Canadian pride as a peaceful and loving nation. So, in 2014, we began an annual cross-Canada tribute initiative named “Veteran Voices of Canada—Flags of Remembrance.”
In October of each year, in many communities across the nation, Veteran Voices of Canada strategically places and raises in a line 128 full-sized Canadian
flags, each representing 1,000 Canadian soldiers who died or were declared missing in action, dating from the Boer War to the current day. Our first Flags of Remembrance tribute site was in my hometown of Sylvan Lake, Alberta. We’ve now expanded into British Columbia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, but we hope to have the tribute represented in every Canadian province and territory.
The idea is that when Canadians drive past or visit a Flags of Remembrance site, they will gain a stronger sense of patriotism and better understand the number of Canadian lives lost in times of war and conflict, and during peacekeeping actions.
Sponsors who wish to pay tribute to a veteran or military hero can have what we call a “hero plaque” attached to one of the flagpoles for all to see, read and remember. Featuring an acrylic Canadian maple leaf, the plaque includes the hero’s name and rank, with whom the hero served, and his/her years of service. The heroes named can be still serving, retired or passed on. We say that the names of our heroes on these plaques act as guardians for the 1,000 souls that one flag represents. Because Royal Canadian Mounted Police are veterans, too, we include them as part of our annual initiative.
Each flag can be sponsored by anyone who wants to pay tribute to our veterans—a friend, family member, kindly individual or business. Everyone who believes it is important to honour and remember our veterans is welcome to participate.
At each of our tribute sites across Canada, all flags are raised simultaneously at moving ceremonies with hundreds of community members, local veterans, their families and representatives from a variety of service agencies and youth groups in attendance. The flags remain in place until just after November 11, at which time the tribute site is closed for another year. The flags and commemorative hero plaques are subsequently handed over to the sponsors or their designates as a keepsake at a closing ceremony held later in each community. We always strive to have a large youth presence at the closing ceremony, where “Last Post” is played, to impress upon them the importance of remembrance. With that in mind, we also bring our project and our message into schools at every opportunity.
Through this initiative, we aim to ensure that Canadians throughout the country of all ages and walks of life continue to understand and appreciate the sacrifices that our veterans have made on behalf of the country we all call home. Through the coming years, we intend to grow our Flags of Remembrance tribute into as many communities across Canada as possible. We promise to never forget.
—by Allan Cameron, Sylvan Lake, Alberta
A War Vet’s Best Friend
Thanks to Vantage and Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, life is better for this wounded veteran
William Goodwin grew up in Thompson, Manitoba, and moved to Ontario when he was 20. A year later he joined the military, becoming Cpl. Goodwin of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, stationed at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa. The Royal Canadian Regiment was formed as the Infantry School Corps in 1883. Since that date, the regiment has been involved in nearly every conflict and operation involving the deployment of Canadian Forces units or personnel.
William was wounded while serving in Afghanistan. Despite the challenges involved with his long recovery, he has made enormous progress and his spirits are high. He is now paired with a dog named Vantage, from the Assistance Dogs Division of Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind.
William says, “A couple of months after my injury, my occupational therapist suggested that I might be eligible for an assistance dog. I was immediately interested, but I had just started physiotherapy and learning to walk on prosthetics. I felt it was not the right time. It was about a year later that I sent in the paperwork.”
Shortly thereafter, William met with a trainer from Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind’s Assistance Dogs Division, and he was introduced to a couple of dogs. He still felt uncertain about how much he would be walking, so he decided to wait until this was a little clearer. The training started about a year later, when William could work on handling a dog from both the wheelchair and in a standing position. His walking was still very unstable, but he started with the chair and adjusted to the legs as he could.
“The training was extremely educational, learning how a dog’s mind works and all the different commands he is capable of,” says William. He received Vantage on the second day of training and the dog was permitted to stay at William’s home from that point as he continued the training course. William was advised that it could take from three to six months before Vantage would bond with him. He says, even knowing what to expect, he questioned whether he had made a mistake.
“It was probably in the fourth month that I really started to notice Vantage was bonding to me and that was a pretty incredible feeling. In my day-to-day activities, Vantage is capable of doing all sorts of tasks, but the biggest help he can give me is also the simplest—picking things up for me and just being around, drawing my attention enough to help with any anxiety I might be having. It is almost guaranteed that I will drop something when I am walking as I try to juggle my two canes, wallet and phone.” William adds, “It has gotten to the point that I don’t even have to say anything. If Vantage sees me drop something, he immediately retrieves it for me. It makes me smile every time.”
William tries to encourage people as much as he can when they ask about an assistance dog. “I usually tell people how difficult the first few months can feel. I never had a pet before, so it kind of caught me off guard just how much work is involved. It is tough to describe just how incredible having Vantage in my life is. He gives me a reason to wake up every morning and keeps me smiling throughout the day. He also forces me to get outside and be more active.”
While there are dogs that are used to assist individuals suffering from long-term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is important to note that Vantage is used to assist with mobility issues, as are all dogs in the Assistance Dogs Division of Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. While there may be some unintentional overlap, such as Vantage providing William with a caring companion and the responsibility of having a dog to care for, the main intention is for Vantage to assist William with mobility and tasks that he cannot perform himself. Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind does not train dogs for PTSD; however, the Assistance Dogs Division continues to assist individuals with mobility-related disabilities within a 200-kilometre radius of Ottawa, within Canada. And there’s no doubt that both William and Vantage are very happy about that fact.
—by Steven Doucette, Manotick, Ontario
Vets in Transition
The men and women who defended our home should never be without one
I am a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces and served my country for 15 years until an accident at work ended my career. I loved being in the military and signed up for two tours in Bosnia.
I was assigned to the HMCS Halifax on a NATO mission and we were sailing off the coast of Spain on 9/11 when the planes hit the Twin Towers. Everything changed for our military then. Our ship broke from the NATO fleet and sailed up the Gulf of Oman towards Afghanistan. We boarded all ships coming into and leaving the gulf, which conjured up nightmares from my Bosnia days.
I was scheduled for my Junior Leadership course in October 2002, so I caught a flight back to Canada to take it. I was going to be promoted to master corporal and the training course was mandatory. I was happy to get home, but the cork had popped and everything I had buried deep inside was coming to the surface. I struggled to understand what was wrong with me.
I made an appointment to see the doctor and he told me I had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He prescribed medication to help relieve the all-consuming lack of sleep, nightmares and mood swings. I was gradually becoming deeply depressed.
In February 2003, I was managing the supply ration room on base when I accidently fell from a 15-foot ladder, tore my arm from its socket and crushed two discs in my back. I hit my head so hard on the cement floor that I now have a condition called TBI—traumatic brain
injury. I was put on medical leave and underwent several operations over a two-year period, after which I was retired with a 3b medical classification.
I was very lucky to have a loving family who helped me deal with my PTSD, which, in spite of professional help, was growing worse. I had my wife, Debbie, a little boy and two stepchildren; I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for them to cope with my depression, pain and mood swings. I felt like my life was over.
I was seeing a physiologist who told me to get out of the house and volunteer in the community, something I used to do regularly before my Bosnia tours. I found a church that served Sunday dinners to the homeless in Halifax. I thought I could just go in and start helping—not the case. I drove by the church seven Sundays in a row before I could pull myself together enough to go in and offer to help. After I started working, it felt great to help others and be useful again.
While serving the dinner, I noticed a familiar face. It was a guy I had served with in the military and I assumed he was there helping out like me. I went to say hello and we started chatting. When I asked him how long he had been volunteering, he told me he came here for something to eat.
After a bit more talk, he finally admitted he was homeless and at the end of his rope with family, friends and life. I was floored when he pointed out three other homeless veterans at the dinner. I told him I would try to get them some help and gave him the money I had in my pocket.
When I got home, I told Debbie. She couldn’t believe it and started looking up homeless veterans in Canada and found other similar cases online. We set up a meeting with case workers at Veterans Affairs Canada to discuss our situation at the church. Their response was, “We don’t have homeless veterans in Canada.” I brought in the four veterans I had found at the dinner and the case managers were amazed. They said they had put out flyers in shelters and no one had come forward. I explained that veterans are proud and it isn’t easy for them to ask for help.
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