SUNDRE — A local student’s submission to the Royal Canadian Legion’s annual Remembrance Day poster contest went on to earn second place on the national stage.
Sadie Winters’ prize-winning piece from the 2019 contest features a family tree of direct ancestors who served and fought in conflicts dating back to the War of 1812. The theme was the result of a brainstorming session with her parents Natalie and Dean.
“We kind of started with some other ideas, and then we thought that one was the best,” said Sadie during a phone interview.
“I like to paint trees, so we kind of mixed that in with it,” she said.
Exploring her artistic potential since she was first able to apply pencil and paintbrush to paper, Sadie has also learned and drawn inspiration from her dad, a graduate of the Alberta College of Art and Design who studied graphic design and illustration.
“He kind of showed me how to do some stuff,” said the 10-year-old.
Before her poster ended up for consideration among the best submissions from throughout the entire country, it placed first at River Valley School, districts as well as provincials.
“I was excited,” said the Grade 5 student when asked her thoughts upon learning she placed second in Canada.
Expressing her gratitude for the service and sacrifice of Canada’s veterans and fallen who have fought and continue to fight for the freedoms we get enjoy every day, she said it’s important “to remember what people did for our country so that we could live here.”
Her older siblings — Georgia, 12, and Liam, 14 — also participated in the poster contest and fared well.
“All three of them won first place (in their age category) at (River Valley School),” said Natalie.
Georgia’s even went on to win at districts and made it up to the provincial contest, she said.
“Far as we know, Sadie’s the only one from Sundre who’s gone onto the national level,” she added.
Due to delays and complications caused by COVID-19, the family had only just recently learned the news upon receiving a letter from Ottawa announcing Sadie had been recognized.
“It was a shock when we got that letter in the mail, and we’d had no idea that it (the poster) had moved at all,” said Natalie.
“I really didn’t know if I was reading the letter correctly.”
So she followed up with a contest representative “just to make sure, because I didn’t really believe the letter!” she said with a laugh.
Traditionally, the top posters are framed and then placed on display in the Parliament building, but that didn’t happen this year because of renovations as well as the pandemic, she said.
Before eventually being returned to the family, the framed poster — a sizeable 56 by 71 centimetres — will eventually be put on display next summer during the Royal Canadian Legion’s annual convention in Saskatoon. Aside from bragging rights, Sadie’s poster also won her a $200 prize, she said.
The poster does not feature a specific tag line, but rather represents an artistic depiction of her direct ancestors who served.
“The roots of the tree each have a name of one of her ancestors that fought in either World War II, World War I or the War of 1812,” said Natalie.
“This is Sadie’s direct line. But if we had done aunts and uncles, she would have had to draw a lot more roots!” she said.
“I’m a bit of a history buff, and ancestry is a big thing to us. It’s good to remember.”
As a mom, Natalie expressed pride not just for Sadie but for all of her children.
“You don’t want to brag too much. But I think it is a neat little story.”
