Miranda BrumwellFor the last 22 years, Ken Miles has been mounting medals for military veterans, past and present. What started out as a hobby, quickly turned into a full-blown business for him and his wife, Sgt. Susan Miles.
Miles recently added shadow boxes to his list of services. It started when a friend of Miles’ passed away in Pembroke, Ont., he made one in his friend’s memory. Suddenly, everyone wanted a shadow box. As a way to give back to the community, Miles decided to give one away every year.
“I’ll never be able to capture all who have been killed in Afghanistan and various missions throughout the world, but I just thought if each year I can make somebody happy, I’ll make one shadow box, and I’ll donate it to a family,” he said.
Last year, Miles was approached by retired Warrant Officer Mike Boudrias, to craft a shadow box for Carol Mitchell. Mitchell lost her son, Corporal Robert T.J. Mitchell, on October 3, 2006 while he was serving in Afghanistan. Bordrias wanted to find a way to commemorate Cpl. Mitchell.
This year Miles gifted a shadow box to Silver Cross Mother Diana Abel. Abel’s son, Cpl. Michael Abel, lost his life in Somalia on May 3, 1993, while serving on a Peacekeeping mission.
Miles told her there would be days she will look at it and be happy and others she would be sad. Miles wants to bring memories back to life.
“We don’t want to forget our loved ones,” said Miles. “Our hope is to put a smile on someone’s face, that’s it.”
If you are interested in learning more about Miles’ work visit his website.
