A Kelowna man was one of 10 B.C./Yukon residents presented with a Commendation by federal Veterans Affairs Minister Erin O’Toole for exemplary service to veterans.
Don Bingham joined the other recipients for the special presentation held earlier this week.
Bingham was a social studies teacher at Kelowna Secondary School.
He is instrumental in organizing, maintaining, and acting as master of ceremonies for the school’s Remembrance Day assembly.
Bingham has also created a moving PowerPoint presentation on the importance of the school’s ceremony, which explains the protocol set out by the Royal Canadian Legion.
He has ensured this presentation is available to all teachers.
He has also tailored another presentation to promote the reasons we mark Remembrance Day and its value to Canada.
Describing Kelowna’s contributions to Canada’s 20th century military history, the educational piece uses local stories and artifacts, primary source images, pictures, and diaries.
Bingham has forged a partnership with the Okanagan Military Museum to have all Grade 11 Social Studies students visit the museum and be taught by local military experts.
He has also planned to have museum representatives visit the school and provide a chronicle of Canadians in Conflict from the Boer War to Afghanistan.
In 2012, Mr. Bingham traveled to Juno Beach with students.
Since then, he has sought to raise funds so that a brick can be purchased and placed for all Kelowna casualties of the Second World War.
A plaque to be inscribed by KSS students will be laid at the Juno Beach Centre.