Portraits of Honour mural that measures 40 feet wide by 10 feet tall and depicts the 157 fallen Canadian soldiers who have lost their lives serving in Afghanistan. It arrives in Vermilion Bay, Sept. 29, for a brief visit. Photo submitted

Vermilion Bay’s Fort Vermilion will play host to a poignant tribute to Canada’s fallen soldiers in the Afghanistan conflict, Thursday, Sept. 29.

For just two hours — from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. — area residents can view artistic renderings of 157 Canadian Forces military personnel, killed in action, in the Portraits of Honour Tour, presented by Kin Canada and Vermilion Bay Kinsmen and Kinnettes.

Admission is free.

Travelling in a large tractor-trailer truck, artist Dave Sopha is touring the country with his mural, painted in oil. Vermilion Bay will be the only stop between Winnipeg and Thunder Bay on this particular tour.

Vermilion Bay Kinsmen president Scott McEwen says the event will feature a barbeque. Portraits of Honour merchandise will also be available. Donations will also be accepted for the Military Families Fund — to assist military families faced with unforeseen and often immediate needs that have resulted due to conditions of service.

McEwen says the club hopes to see participation from area police services, fire departments and the Kenora Armory. He adds it is the organization’s first national project since World War II’s ‘Milk For Britain’ campaign.

Artist Dave Sopha stared at his morning newspaper on Dec. 6, 2008. The headline screamed that Canada had lost its 99th, 100th and 101st soldier. An improvised explosive device claimed their lives. At that moment, Sopha decided to dedicate the next few years honouring every fallen soldier, sailor or aircrew through the creation of a mural.

Sopha has been airbrushing murals and paintings for the past 38 years. He discovered his artistic talent during an eight-month recovery following a car accident in 1970 that left him with a broken back.

The mural has taken lifelong Kinsman Sopha over 6,500 hours to paint. He admits that his work won’t be complete until our mission in Afghanistan comes to a close.

The Portraits of Honour National Tour was officially started with a special unveiling of the mural by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Canada’s Governor General, in Kitchener, Ontario on May 29th, 2011.

Since then, it has been touring across Canada in a specialized mobile display trailer visiting the hometowns of our fallen heroes along with several other high profile events. During a specially requested stop in Calgary, AB, the mural captured the international spotlight when Their Royal Highnesses, Prince William and Catherine Middleton, took time to lay a special wreath at the foot of the mural in honour of our fallen troops.

Beyond honouring our troops, organizers hope to raise over $1.5 million to support the Military Families Fund and established military charities to assist families of the fallen and to assist the thousands of military personnel who return home with physical or emotional injuries. Organizers will also seek to fund other charities who offer additional troop and family support that falls outside of the Military Families Fund mandate.