A poster entry to the annual National Youth Remembrance Contest by the Royal Canadian Legion from a Horse Lake child might end up winning the national prize.
The poster, which depicts a soldier saluting with the words “thank you” and a heart on the bottom left corner, was created by Cody Thibeault, a seven-year-old student of Horse Lake Elementary School. The National Youth Remembrance Contest is a competition organized by the Royal Canadian Legion which sees Canadian youth and children submit posters and poems themed around Remembrance Day.
This has taken Royal Canadian Legion Branch 260 by surprise - never before has a submission from the 100 Mile Legion gone to the national level of competition.
“When we heard that it even just went to BC, we were so excited,” said Diane Dulmage, the Legion’s 2023 Poppy chair.
To get to nationals Cody’s poster has won at the local, regional and provincial levels of the competition. Cody’s mother, Crystal Thibeault, said her son entered the contest at her suggestion.
“So he had drawn a soldier - when I had seen his drawing I had encouraged him to enter the contest,” Crystal explained.
Crystal was thrilled to learn her son’s poster was in the running for the national prize.
“I’m very excited that he placed like he has,” Crystal said.
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For winning the local, zonal, and provincial levels of competition, Cody has won several cash prizes totalling $350. The winner of the national competition will be named around mid-April - and if Cody wins he will earn an additional cash prize of $200 as well as a personalized plaque for both himself and his school.
He would also be the first from 100 Mile House to win the national competition. If he places second or third he stands to win $150 or $100 respectively. He is competing against 11 other finalists from across the country.
The Thibeault family have a link to the military - Jack King, Crystal’s great-grandfather, served in the army during World War II as a Lance Corporal. MacKenzie Thibeault, Cody’s older sister, created a black and white poster of Lance Cpl. King that was submitted to the contest - which won MacKenzie second place at the local level in the black and white category, earning her a $35 cash prize. The family has made regular submissions to the contest for the last three years.
The contest is important to the Legion. According to Dulmage, the contest is meant to educate children and youth about the importance of Canada’s military.
“It’s not to glorify war, but to understand the importance of military service,” said Dulmage. The Legion also wants more children to submit their works next year.
“This year, we are actually going to get a bunch of the legionaries in full uniform, and we’re gonna go to the schools and we’re gonna try to teach the kids more about Remembrance Day,” said Tracy Evans, the 2024 Poppy Chair.
As for Cody, all he could muster was one word to describe his feelings about his achievements.
“Happy.”