Coquitlam, British Columbia
Mr. Smyth is a Veteran of the Korean War, having also served in the Canadian Armed Forces until 1970. He has been a member of the Royal Canadian Legion for 47 years and has been Coquitlam Branch 263's Parade Marshall for 12 years. He is a co-chair of the Poppy Fund and he always assists in organizing special events, including Remembrance Day services and an annual candlelight tribute. Mr. Smyth has recently also taken charge of the parade square for the Korean War ceremony in Burnaby, which is attended by nearly 400 people. He is a co-chair of the Dogwood Veterans Group that sets up special displays at the Dogwood Pavilion in Coquitlam, where the public and school children visit and learn about the wartime experiences of Veterans. Mr. Smyth is an active board member of the George Derby Centre, a long-term care facility housing approximately 300 Veterans. He devotes much of his time helping these Veterans and developing new initiatives to improve the facility and keep it running.