The Westlock Royal Canadian Legion has a full slate of activities planned to mark the 95th Remembrance Day.
In town, Legion president Marjorie Steele said the plan is not to deviate much from what has been done in the past.
The ceremony will begin right at 10:30 a.m. at the Westlock and District Community Hall. Leading the procession will be the Westlock Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, acting as the cenotaph guard, she said.
Following the cadets will be the colour party, with the RCMP bringing up the rear.
The entire entry march will take place to the sound of the pipes, played by Doug Whistance-Smith, Steele said.
“He was a piper in years gone by,” she said. “I asked him and he’s just delighted to be able to do that for us.”
Once the march has ended, Steele will lead the service in her dual role as Legion president and chaplain. Also scheduled to speak during the service are Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Maureen Kubinec and former RCMP Staff Sgt. Bob Olson.
At 11 a.m., a bugler will play Last Post, followed by two minutes of silence. The silence will be ended with a piper’s lament, followed by Reveille.
Steele will then recite a remembrance poem, after which the wreaths will be laid, with each wreath being introduced. After the wreaths have been laid, O Canada and God Save the Queen will be sung.
Although the wreath laying ends the ceremony, Steele said some people will head to the cenotaph to lay wreaths there.
Those who choose to stay at the hall are invited to enjoy a lunch consisting of hotdogs, sandwiches, coffee, tea and juice.
For those people interested in visiting with Westlock’s veterans, Steele said the Legion lounge will be opened after lunch.
In the evening a banquet is planned; tickets are available at the Legion.
Despite a few changes, Remembrance Day in Clyde is slated to continue like it always has.
There will be no cadets or members of the Lord Strathcona’s Horses in attendance, but organizer Isaac Brower-Berkhoven said that’s not going to have any real impact on the ceremony.
“We will have a Remembrance service,” he said. “We will do the things that are required by mankind to remember the fallen dead.”
The ceremony will take place on Nov. 11 at the Clyde Community Hall. Doors will open at 10 a.m., and the ceremony will begin at 10:15 a.m.
Brower-Berkhoven said minister Lilly Glebe will bring a “message of hope and peace,” and a bugler and pianist will provide the music.
At 11 a.m., weather permitting, the ceremony will head outside to the cenotaph for the laying of the wreaths.
Following the ceremony, there will be tea and biscuits back inside the hall.
Brower-Berkhoven said he’s been involved in Remembrance Days since he was a child living in Vancouver during the Second World War.
“On Remembrance Day we used to go down to the big parade of men,” he said.
In addition, he said, the day is about being able to use the freedoms the veterans fought for.
“I think it’s something that all mankind should do, is always remember those that gave up their life for the freedom we enjoy,” Brower-Berkhoven said. “And part of that freedom is not being involved or not participating.”
Ultimately, those who take part in the ceremony are there to pay their respects to, and honour, those who died and those who served.
