OTTAWA, Nov. 1, 2018 /CNW/ - The Royal Canadian Legion's Dominion President, Thomas D. Irvine, CD, is proud and honoured to present this year's National Silver Cross Mother to Canada. Ms. Anita Cenerini of Winnipeg, Manitoba will represent the nation with this title until the end of October, 2019.
Ms. Cenerini's son Private Thomas Welch was an infantryman and member of 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, based in Petawawa, ON. Born on October 25, 1981 in Thunder Bay, ON, Thomas joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2001 and went on to serve in Afghanistan in 2003, as a C9 Gunner.
Less than three months after returning from Afghanistan, Thomas died by suicide in Petawawa, ON. His death on May 8, 2004, is marked as the first death by suicide of a Canadian Soldier after returning home from the Afghanistan mission. His death was later deemed attributable to military service. Read more about Ms. Cenerini and Private Welch at: http://www.legion.ca/remembrance/silver-cross-mother
As the National Silver Cross Mother, Ms. Cenerini (pronounced sen-uh-ree-nee) will place a wreath at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on November 11, 2018. She will do so on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a son or daughter in the military either in action, or over the course of normal duty. From November 2, 2018 to October 31, 2019, Ms. Cenerini will also perform a range of duties honouring Canada's Fallen.
The Memorial Cross - more commonly referred to as the Silver Cross - introduced on December 1, 1919, is a symbol of personal loss and sacrifice on behalf of widows and mothers who lose a child on active duty, or whose death is later attributed to such duty. The Royal Canadian Legion's provincial commands and individual Canadians submit nominations for the National Silver Cross Mother each year. The final recipient is chosen by a Dominion Command selection Committee.
About The Royal Canadian Legion
Founded in 1925, the Legion is Canada's largest Veteran support and community service organization. We are a non-profit organization with a national reach across Canada as well as branches in the U.S., Europe and Mexico. With close to 270,000 members, many of whom volunteer an extraordinary amount of time to their branches, our strength is in our numbers.
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SOURCE The Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command
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