Supporting the troops means more than wearing red

Yesterday as I walked through Bloor West Village, I saw two kids from the Royal Canadian Air Cadets walking toward me. These are girls and boys between 12 and 18 who are learning the disciplines of the Canadian military in a structured but fun part-time environment. Many of these youth will grow up to have further affiliation with the Canadian Forces. They are the next generation of our soldiers, airmen, sailors and submariners. Several times a year they do fundraising drives, asking for spare change. I always make it a point to give them whatever I can. To me, supporting the troops we have deployed right now not only means writing letters and wearing red - it also means helping to groom their replacements; the ones who will one day be defending our country.

When you see the Cadets fundrasing in your neighborhood, be sure to drop a few coins in their collection box.