Vets' Angels

Vets’ Angels History and Service

In 1996 Father Alex Shahun, Padre at the Colonel Belcher Veterans’ Care Centre, reached out to Bas French indicating that there were many veterans who needed help with the most basic of their personal necessities. Many did not have family support, were not physically capable or had limited financial resources. 

Vets’ Angels was founded in 1996 by Bas French CA, Tony Edgington PEng (World War II Lancaster Bomber Pilot), Earl Miller CA and Sam Esko CA in response to Father Shahun’s recognition of gaps in the basic quality of life for Vets in the Colonel Belcher Veterans’ Care Centre. 

Vets’ Angels’ volunteers, under the leadership of Ewan Cameron and Gay Alderman have completed 25 years of enhancing the individual well-being of today’s Canadian War Veterans from the Second World War, the Korean War and the Bosnian Conflict. The comfort and support of this dedicated group of Vets’ Angels make life more enjoyable and affordable for approximately 100 veterans in the Carewest Colonel Belcher long-term care facility. 

Thanks to your generous support, Vets’ Angels has been able to carry out physical and emotional support for Veterans living at the Carewest Colonel Belcher supportive living facility.

The Colonel Belcher Hospital History

Belcher was designated as a long term care facility exclusively for Canadian war veterans. In May 2003, the Belcher moved from its site on 4^th Street and 12^th Avenue SW, facing Memorial Park, to its current location in Parkdale. Today the Belcher continues to service senior citizen retired Canadian Veterans and also Canadian non-Veteran military, plus some residents of Canada who provided military service as citizens of other countries.