Let those who come after not let their names be forgotten.

The “Friends of Veterans Canada” charity was established on April 1, 2008 under the Museums and Libraries portion of the Charities Act. Our charity has the mandate of video taping every living Canadian veteran that is willing to tell their story. We are building a library of our veteran’s stories to pass on to future generations. Our motto is “Video-A-Veteran Today for the Youth of Tomorrow”

My name is Randy Young of London Ontario, President of the “Friends of Veterans Canada”. My family has been involved in the Canadian forces for generations with my uncle Keith retiring a few years ago We also lost two great uncles in the Great War. My Great Grandfather Charles Vanember Young of Brantford also served honorably in WW1 as a stretcher barrier.

Our great grandfather’s cousin, John Francis Young (pictured left) was awarded the Victory Cross for valour on the battle of the Drocourt-Queant Line September 2.1918. This Video gathering tour for the “Harry Watts Veterans Video Library” is my way of contributing towards preserving the memories of these and all other Canadian veterans.

We are on a mission to bring video awareness to our Canadian Veterans and the history that they have lived. The “National Video-A-Veteran Contest” and the “Harry Watts Veterans Video Library” is important to Canadian’s. The DVD library of the interviews will be available to school libraries for free. The history buffs across Canada can purchase one or several of the DVD’s on a cost basis when complete.

We are asking Canadians to video-a- veteran on or before this Remembrance Day. Teachers and students can get involved in this effort as well. The “Friends of Veterans Canada” is a registered charity with a mandate to educate and bring awareness to the Canadian’s both young and old of Canada through the “Harry Watts Veterans Video Library”.

 We are holding the “National Video-A-Veteran Contest” The year’s prize is $100.000 in cash and prizes for a trip o Europe. This uniquely Canadian contest is open to Canadian’s of all ages including student’s from grade 5 to grade 12. The contest entry must include two potions of video. We require a two minute version of the veteran’s story as a vignette, Made with music and pictures of the veteran’s life in the background. We are hoping that all of our contestant’s be creative in their presentations. Each contestant will be required to send in the entire uncut portion of their time with the veteran subject in order to enter this contest. The contest will be judged from the two minute video portion of the entry.

One winner will be chosen from each province and two territories. Each winner will be welcome to go on an all expenses paid tour of the route taken by Giggs Borland. Giggs Borland is a one of Canada’s unsung hero’s. Giggs will take all the contest winners on the roué his unit took from Normandy France though Belgium and into Holland. Special veterans from across Canada will be welcomed to go to Europe (heath permitting). The students will learn about a special Canadian’s war story. This tour will be a mile stone in the life of our history gathers of the “National Video-A-Veteran Contest. All of the contest winners will make a Canadian history friend of Giggs Borland and the other veterans on this tour. A documentary will be filmed of this event.

The “National Video-A-Veteran Contest” will begin held during “Remembrance Week”. This year’s video entries must be submitted by December 11, 2010. Our charities effort is a five year project and is in its second year. This years goal is 1000 hours gathered. Your efforts to help us save the memories of our solders that will be remembered for decades to come.

This veteran’s video library will be filmed by average Canadian’s and will be a fitting memorial to all of our great Canadian solders and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and for those veteran’s that are living with their memories to this day. There is not another Country in the world that is showing its respect for their veteran’s in this way. We are Canadians creating the “Harry Watts Veterans Video Library” for Canadians.

Friends of Veterans Canada

National Video-A-Veteran Contest.

c/o Randy Young President

519 679-8190