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War Amps celebrates 75 years, key tags being mailed to BC residents this week

War Amps honours 75 years

The War Amps is celebrating 75 years of its association’s Key Tag Service and tags are now being mailed out to B.C. residents.

The 2021 theme is ‘You Are a Part of What We Do,’ paying tribute to the public for helping make the last 75 years a success.

The letter that accompanies the key tags is from parents Tracie and Jeremy, who explain how The War Amps has helped their family from the day their daughter Michaela Blakslee was born.

She was missing part of her left arm, some fingers and some toes.

And as a member of The War Amps Child Amputee Program (CHAMP), Michaela receives financial help to pay for artificial limbs and devices. She also attends regional seminars where champs and their families learn about the latest technologies in artificial limbs, dealing with staring and teasing and parenting a child amputee.

Michaela calls her artificial arms her ‘helper hands.’ These include one for everyday use and one for activities like bike riding.

“Without the funding from The War Amps, it would be very difficult for us to get her any prosthetics at all,” says Tracie and Jeremy.

“Whatever isn’t covered through our workplace insurance and the government, The War Amps steps in so she has these devices to help her through daily life.”

Launched in 1946, The Key Tag Service was established so returning war amputee veterans could work for competitive wages while providing a service to Canadians that would bring in funds for the associations programs, including CHAMP.

The Key Tag Service continues to employ amputees and those with disabilities. It has returned more than 1.5 million sets of lost keys to their owners.

Each tag has a confidential coded number. If you happen to lose your keys with the tag, the person who finds them can call the toll-free phone number on the back of the tag or, they can place them in any mailbox in Canada and The War Amps will get them returned to you by courier, free of charge.

The War Amps does not receive government grants and because of this, its programs are made possible through public support of The Key Tag and Address Label Service.

For more information or to order key tags click here or call toll-free 1-800-250-3030.



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