ASSURANT AND WOUNDED WARRIORS CANADA PLANT
COMMEMORATIVE VIMY OAK TO HONOUR CANADA’S ARMED FORCES
WHITBY – Wounded Warriors Canada is proud to accept a Vimy oak sapling donated by Assurant to honour the service and sacrifice of Canadian Armed Forces members, past and present. The Vimy oak sapling is a descendant of an oak tree from the site of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. After the Battle of Vimy Ridge was won, Leslie Miller gathered a handful of acorns from a half buried oak tree. He planted the acorns on farmland in Scarborough, Ontario, which came to be known as the “Vimy Oaks Farm”.
Assurant, a global provider of risk management solutions, purchased two oak saplings from the “Vimy Oaks Farm”. One sapling will be planted in the Wounded Warriors Canada’s Park of Reflection on October 23 at 1 p.m. (ET). Assurant sponsored the repatriation of the second sapling to the Vimy Foundation Centennial Park, adjacent to the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in northern France.
Scott Maxwell, Executive Director of Wounded Warriors Canada commented, “Vimy Ridge is a sacred placed that is etched into the fabric of Canada. 3,598 of our soldiers died there and 7,000 were wounded. In so many ways, the Canadian victory at Vimy, with the Canadian Corps’ four divisions coming together as one, was a significant nation- building moment. We also know that many soldiers like Leslie Miller, returned home with irreparable memories of war. Thus, it is only fitting that our Park of Reflection, which was designed as a place that honours those living with injuries sustained in their service to Canada, will be home to a Vimy Oak. We thank Assurant for their generous donation and hope Canadians visit the Park to pause, reflect and remember their service and sacrifice. We will remember them.”
Paul Cosgrove, Vice President, Business Development and Client Services Assurant commented, “Assurant is honoured to donate the Vimy oak sapling to Wounded Warriors Canada to plant in the Park of Reflection. We hope that Canadians visit the park and take time to remember the service and sacrifice of our armed service members.”
Jeremy Diamond, Executive Director, Vimy Foundation commented, “The Vimy Foundation is proud to part of the Vimy Oaks legacy project. These trees will help to educate Canadians on the importance of our country’s service and sacrifice during the Great War. We are also honoured that acorns from the Vimy Oaks will be planted inside Vimy Centennial Park, located adjacent to the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, thus ensuring the story of Leslie Miller and all our First World War soldiers live on for generations to come.”
