Cpl. Darren Burt, who has served with the Canadian military in Afghanistan, will be a special guest at the Barrhead Composite High School’s Remembrance Day assembly on Nov. 10.
Last year BCHS students spoke to the Spruce Grove native via Skype while he was stationed at a Kandahar airfield.
They were able to wish him a merry Christmas. On Thursday, they will be able to see him in person.
Cpl. Burt, a cousin to BCHS associate principal Karen Fischer, will be coming with his daughter, Jayden.
With them will be Nibbles, a stuffed mouse which Cpl. Burt’s daughter gave him and who was introduced to BCHS students last year via a PowerPoint presentation.
In the presentation Nibbles was photographed in and around the airfield on which Burt served. His adventures could be followed on Facebook.
Cpl. Burt is expected to answer some submitted questions about his return home from military service.
He will also be presenting a flag flown over the base in Afghanistan to a Barrhead town council representative.
A representative from Pembina schools division board and MLA for Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock Ken Kowalski have also been invited to attend.
BCHS teacher Ian Wallace, who is master of ceremonies for Remembrance Day, said the service would take place at 2 p.m. in the east gym.
The Legion colour party would be in attendance and the last post would be played.
Meanwhile, the Barrhead Elementary School will also be holding a Remembrance Day assembly on Thursday morning.
Both schools will be closed for Remembrance Day on Friday, Nov. 11.
This year’s ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. with the formation of veterans outside the Legion.
At 9.30 a.m. the veterans will march to BCHS where students and members of the community will gather for a ceremony in the east gym. At 10.45 a.m. the procession will head to the Barrhead Cenotaph.
The official act of remembrance will take place at the cenotaph starting at 11 a.m. marking the 11th hour of the 11th month, a tradition on Remembrance Day ceremonies.
It will then be back to the Legion for lunch.
