Vernon, British Columbia
A Second World War Veteran and member of the Executive Committee at the local Royal Canadian Legion Branch for the past 15 years, Mr. Rayment has a long record of service with his fellow Veterans as well as with the community in which he lives. As Chairman of the Sick and Visiting Committee, Mr. Rayment visited on a weekly basis, more than 25 Veterans confined to hospital or in long-term care facilities. Over time, as the number of institutionalized Veterans rose, Mr. Rayment devised a unique plan to have local cadets visit Veterans on a weekly basis. This program became so successful that it spread to other parts of Canada. Known as the Adopt a Veteran Program, it is fully supported by The Royal Canadian Legion (RCL). Mr. Rayment has also taken a keen interest in youth, and as Liaison Officer for the 4 Cadet Corps in Vernon, B.C., he is involved in many of their activities. Under his leadership, the Cadet Corps takes part in parades at the Field of Honour, where cadets place candles on the graves of Veterans. Mr. Rayment is also the local representative for the Memory Project, for which he visits schools and gives presentations to social studies classes. He is currently writing a book "Camp Vernon - a Century of Canadian History" which, when published, will be distributed, for free, to museums, schools and libraries across Canada. Mr. Rayment has earned the respect of his fellow Veterans and citizens for his exceptional contribution to the Veteran community and to Canada's youth.