Since he was a child, Graham Force has been fascinated by planes.
Growing up in Abbotsford near the airport, Force, who now lives in Surrey, often found himself sketching the various aircraft that he saw in and around the airfield, often captivated by the sounds and power of the military jets he saw during trips to the annual airshow – especially the Blue Angels and the Snowbirds.
It was after reading an article recently about the many wounded and disabled soldiers who have come home from various conflicts around the globe, including Afghanistan, that Force decided to try to offer his talent as an artist to give back.
“There are roughly 1,800 soldiers who are dealing with some sort of conflict-related injury or mental health issue,” said Force, “so why not use my talents to help them out?”
He has created a greeting card that will be offered for sale with proceeds going to Wounded Warriors Canada, an organization dedicated to helping injured Canadian military personnel and their families.
The card features a Canadian fighter jet flying over a large Canadian flag with the phrase “True North Strong and Free” across the top and “Canadian Heroes” along the bottom, along with a poem recognizing the Army, Navy and Air Force.
“We live in such a beautiful country with so many freedoms,” Force said, “and it’s so free because of the soldiers. People tend to forget that.”
The initial printing will be 1,000 cards and depending on the success, he may make larger prints as well.
The cards are available through his website at www.grahamforceavaitionart.com or you can donate directly through www.woundedwarriors.ca