Family and friends of Brian Collier are determined to keep his memory alive in his home town of Bradford.
Collier lost his life while serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. On July 20, 2010, on his first tour of duty in Afghanistan, he was killed by an improvised explosive device at the age of just 24.
He is remembered at Remembrance Day and National Peacekeepers’ Day ceremonies in Bradford, and the town has named the busy road between the BWG Public Library and the Leisure Centre ‘Brian Collier Way.’
A Brian Collier Memorial Fund was also established to support scholarships at both Holy Trinity Catholic High School and Bradford District High, in his memory.
This April, the Chimo Cup Euchre Tournament “Cards for Collier” will raise funds for the Memorial Fund. The tourney takes place Saturday, April 18 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Bradford Legion, 115 Back St.
Cost is $20 per player (payable on registration), for cards, door prizes, snacks and a cash prize for the top male and female scorers.
To register, contact Cyndi Hillier at 905-251-7938 or [email protected]. Register early – only 80 spaces are available.
‘Chimo’ is the cheer and nickname of the Canadian Military Engineers, from an Inuktitut greeting.
Collier, a graduate of Bradford District High School, was a member of 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. He was the 151st Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan.
A total of 158 Canadian military personnel and four civilians lost their lives in the 10-year military mission that began in 2002, and formally ended in 2011.
