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Here for Pictures
Castleton artist Les Pomeroy will unveil his
tribute to the Highway of Heroes at Warkworth Legion this Remembrance Day.
Les Pomeroy's Bridges of Honour was shown exclusively to Northumberland Today
yesterday and will be unveiled at noon today.
The artist worked for several months to complete the project honouring members
of Canada's military who have fallen in Afghanistan.
Once the soldiers' remains are repatriated, their bodies are accompanied by
loved ones along the stretch of Highway 401 between CFB Trenton and Toronto that
has become known as the Highway of Heroes.
Along the route, residents have taken to standing along the bridges spanning the
lanes of the highway, many waving flags, in a show of respect and gratitude.
On one such vigil, at the Little Lake bridge, Pomeroy saw something unique.
Warkworth Legion Branch 380 member Al Wilson releases his racing pigeons at the
precise time the motorcade passes by. At that time Pomeroy knew it was time to
grab his easel.
He has set Wilson in the foreground while a crowd of people holding Canadian
flags stand in the background.
The sky is red, for Red Fridays, and the poppy is for remembrance.
Pomeroy was still putting the final touches on the 24 x 18 oil on canvas
painting during last night's preview.
"I felt it was the least I could do to show honour to the fallen soldiers and
their families," he said of his work.
Pomeroy said he was overcome with emotion when he first saw the birds being
released as the procession passed.
"It was quite a sight to see -- very touching, very emotional."
Pomeroy an associate member of the Warkworth Legion and a gifted artist for two
decades, has created memorable works of art including depicting Bobby Baun's
winning goal in overtime in Game 6 of the 1963-64 Stanley Cup finals, a 15 x 5
foot creation for the RCMP's 130 years of Canadian history which hangs at the
RCMP headquarters in Ottawa and a painting to inspire children to reach their
goals which hangs at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
Pomeroy has called Castleton his home for the last two years after moving from
the Durham region.
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