Langley, British Columbia
Elizabeth and Michael Pratt are teenage siblings who established "Langley Youth for the Fallen," a non-profit organization to raise funds and create a lasting memorial to the Canadian soldiers and civilians who have died in Afghanistan. Out of their shared desire to commemorate the sacrifices of Canadian Armed Forces members, they envisioned a permanent memorial consisting of a tree planted for every fallen Canadian soldier, and a memorial structure cenotaph that would list the names of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. The Walk to Remember memorial was officially dedicated on November 11, 2012, and is located at the Derek Doubleday Arboretum in the Township of Langley. Beginning in January 2010, Elizabeth and Michael Pratt undertook fundraising efforts to have each of the proposed 162 trees (158 for the fallen soldiers and four for the embedded civilians) sponsored by community organizations and individuals. The siblings took turns appearing at various service clubs, school groups and community organizations to present their ideas and inspire others to be a part of this memorial project. They raised enough money to cover all of the tree costs, and assisted in applying for grants to be used toward the construction of the commemorative structure.