By Newell Durnbrooke
On Tuesday June 24, Esprit de Corps was honoured to attend a modest luncheon held at Veterans House Canada in eastern Ottawa. The driving force behind the event was proud Canadian businessman Jay Sanko, an account director with Stelis Environmental Solutions. With two sons (Jay J and Cameron) serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, Sanko has made it a personal crusade to link the wider community with veterans. Since 2018, Sanko (aka the 'Dinner Guy') has been organizing 'Flag Day' dinners at the local Royal Canadian Legion in Orleans. These events not only honour serving soldiers, veterans and their spouses (they dine for free), they also have raised money for Soldier On and Veterans House Canada (VHC).
This housing facility was first opened in 2020 by the Multi-Faith Housing Initiative (MHI) and it provides 40 apartments for here-to-fore homeless CAF veterans. VHC Director Brigadier-General (Ret'd) Al Mulawyshyn pointed out that since its opening, Veterans House has been operating at full capacity with a lengthy wait-list. The overall project has been a resounding success and now that it has been proven to work in practice, MHI has plans to expand the Veterans House concept into other major Canadian cities -soon. Following last year's Flag Day, Sanko and his family (wife Natalie and daughter Brianna) held a cheque presentation ceremony at VHC. That small event was catered by a man named Qais Azimy, an Afghan Canadian. Azimy fled Afghanistan and resettled in Canada where he has opened the restaurant Rumi which serves Afghan cuisine in Orleans. As many of the formerly homeless veterans now housed at VHC were themselves veterans of the war in Afghanistan there is a natural bond. Azimy was himself detained and beaten by the Taliban and he feels he owes his new lease on life to Canada generously offering him a second chance at life. Also on hand for the luncheon were Ottawa City counsellors, Catherine Kitts and Matt Luloff. Sanko plans to hold next year's Flag Day dinner at Ottawa City Hall, and Luloff himself a veteran of the Afghanistan war is more than willing to assist in making that happen. Also in attendance at the lunch, was Lt-Gen Erick Simoneau, the Chief of Military Personnel (CMP) and the members of his immediate staff. They used the opportunity to tour the impressive facilities offered by VHC to veterans. The sight of formerly homeless, now housed enlisted veterans breaking bread with a serving three-star general at a meal catered by an Afghan-Canadian who fled the Taliban, pretty much defines a grassroots, community, communal support event.
Thanks are also due to Amin Sikder and Andy Burnham from SI systems who have believed in Sanko from the outset and who remain sponsors of his veterans support initiatives.
Anyone willing to volunteer their time or wishing to sponsor the annual 'Flag Day' dinner, please reach out to Jay Sanko directly at:
