{
  "id": 19300227,
  "title": "‘They did a lot for our country’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/they-did-a-lot-for-our-country",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-10T07:00:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2026/11/10/they-did-a-lot-for-our-country"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Neepawa, nearly 2,000 wooden crosses with a vivid red poppy on them have been placed on veteran headstones in more than 10 cemeteries across the Westman region. Robert Ferguson, a longtime member of the Royal Canadian Legion, began the project six years ago as a passion project to pay tribute to the veterans he knew. Ferguson's initiative has grown, and now there are crosses in cemeteries in McCreary, Reston, Riding Mountain, Killarney, Pipestone, Minnedosa, and other communities, memorializing rural Manitoba veterans from World War I and II. Ferguson's project has also led to the recognition of over 500 biographies of war veterans from rural Manitoba, who may have otherwise gone unrecognized. He hopes to engage young people with acts of remembrance by involving Girl Guides in Neepawa in making felt poppies for some of the crosses. Ferguson, who has been awarded three medals for his community service, is still researching community history books to find more names and hopes that more communities will adopt the project to honor the service of the veterans who have contributed to their country.",
  "summary": "NEEPAWA — Placed on veteran headstones in more than 10 cemeteries in the Westman region are nearly 2,000 small wooden crosses. They are painted white with a vivid red poppy […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Robert Ferguson placed 2,000 wooden crosses with red poppies in cemeteries across Westman region.",
    "Project recognizes over 500 biographies of rural Manitoba war veterans.",
    "Ferguson hopes to engage youth through Girl Guides making felt poppies."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Expanding local memorial efforts from a single town to multiple regional cemeteries ensures that the service of rural veterans receives the permanent recognition and historical documentation they deserve.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}