Options abound for area residents looking to honour our country’s fallen veterans for Remembrance Day.
The main public ceremonies will take place in Westlock and Clyde, although some other groups and organizations will be holding smaller services, as well.
Westlock Legion president Steve Folkins said the ceremony in Westlock will be comparable to what has been seen in previous years, with the national anthem and some hymns being sung at the Westlock & District Community Hall beginning at 10:30 a.m.
The intention, he added, is to have everyone in place for the two minutes of silence at 11 a.m.
A keynote speech will be given by Arnold Royko, the deputy commander of this Legion district.
In Clyde, meanwhile, there will be a ceremony beginning at 10:15, organizer Stan Graves said.
“The service will be in the hall, then we go out and have our services and one minute of silence,” he said.
In the evening at the Legion in Westlock, there will be a banquet in honour of the veterans who are still alive.
“While we spend the day remembering those who have fallen, the remembrance banquet allows us to, in essence, celebrate those who remain with us,” Folkins said.
Veterans eat for free at this event, but it is open to anyone who wants to buy tickets.
“It’s a chance to sit with veterans and to speak with them, and get their perspective on remembrance and what it’s all about,” he said.
The guest speaker this year will be Roger Borchert, a Slave Lake resident who has taken a personal interest in honouring veterans.
“He has become a bit of an icon in the military world,” Folkins said. “He’s put together a Facebook page and he writes poetry. Every time we lose a soldier in Afghanistan or anywhere in the world, he puts together a poem as his own personal tribute to the fallen soldiers.”
Schools throughout the region will also hold ceremonies, although those are not generally open to the public.
For more information about the activities in Westlock, phone the Legion at 780-349-4046.
