“Canadians are great at honouring veterans of the World Wars, but there’s a new face of veterans in Afghanistan, Libya or Africa that people don’t know about,” Twohey said.

Each ornament has the words “Never Alone/Jamais seul” encircling the silver outline of a kneeling soldier silhouetted against a maple leaf. The back of the ornament is stamped with a Bible verse from Matthew 28:20 to remind soldiers that “with Christ they are never alone.”

Twohey hopes people will consider purchasing one for their family Christmas tree and another for a soldier or chaplain.

“We live in such an amazing country that we can’t take it for granted when we look at the rest of the world and what people are living through,” she said.

Twohey designed the 2.5-by-2.5 inch ornaments in plain pewter or pewter with a red enamel maple leaf. The design of a kneeling soldier borrows from the logo Twohey created for hockey jerseys that were sent to soldiers in Afghanistan through her non-profit organization Team Red Take a Stand.

The ornaments are manufactured in Canada and retail for $20 each or two for $35.

Proceeds from the sale of the ornaments will go to purchasing ornaments for military chaplains. Money leftover will go to the Military Christian Fellowship of Canada.

Twohey, a parishioner at Immaculate Conception parish in Port Perry, founded Team Red Take a Stand Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to spiritually supporting Canada’s military, five years ago.

Twohey doesn’t have family members in the military. But she says she feels called to assist soldiers and their families through prayer and volunteer work with the Military Christian Fellowship of Canada.

The fellowship is an interdenominational group that works with chaplains to provide spiritual resources.

For information, see www.mcf-canada.ca or call (905) 260-6679.