Residents will be able to pay tribute to the men and women who have served in Canada’s armed forces as Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held in both Westlock and Clyde on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
The Royal Canadian Legion branch will once again host the town ceremony at the Westlock and District Community Hall on Remembrance Day.
Those attending are asked to arrive and be seated before the ceremony gets underway at 10:45 a.m.
Legion chaplain Marjorie Steele said the ceremony will be the same as in past years, with the exception of one change.
“This year we’re going to do the tribute first,” Steele said. “I think it’s going to be more acceptable.”
The ceremony will begin with the marching of the cadets, the Colour Party, and the RCMP followed by the singing of O Canada and the tribute.
Steele said a bugler will perform Taps and a bagpiper will do a lament proceeded by a tribute, prayer and guest speaker.
“This year we have a retired brigadier-general who is coming to be our guest speaker,” she said.
“We will have him speak and then I have a couple of readings and then we’re going to have the laying of the wreaths.”
Later in the evening the Legion is hosting a Remembrance Day banquet at 5 p.m. at the Legion Hall.
There they’ll present three scholarships and Robert Lawrence from the Westlock Veterinary Centre will present a special slideshow. The roast beef supper is free for veterans and $15 for members of the public.
The Clyde & District Agricultural Society will organize Remembrance Day ceremonies in the village.
The ceremony begins at 10:15 a.m. at Clyde Community Hall. A potluck lunch provided by the ag society follows. Those who want to stay for the meal are asked to make a donation.
Master of ceremonies Isaac Brower-Berkhoven said while the forecast for Remembrance Day looks good, the ceremony will stay inside.
“Having everybody inside in one place seemed to be very effective,” Brower-Berkhoven said.
Following the indoor ceremony the procession will move outside for the laying of the wreath.
Prior to Remembrance Day, the Westlock Legion will honour deceased veterans by paying tribute at their gravesites.
On Friday, Nov. 6 members of the Legion, along with members of the public, will attend the Westlock Cemetery to mark gravesites with flags and poppies as part of the No Stone Left Alone project.
Over the last three years Steele, along with friend Harry Marshall, have located the gravesites of veterans at 11 local cemeteries — 87 are buried at Westlock.
A short ceremony is performed prior to marking the stones. During the event Steele will have help with from some local students.
“I will have 62 kids from St. Mary School, 14 from R.F. Staples, military personnel, plus our Colour Party will be there,” Steele said.
“I do the tribute, a couple readings and a prayer and then the children are given poppies and they go with the military and place them on each grave that is marked with a Canadian Flag.”
Steele says it’s important to have students involved to remind them of the sacrifices made.
“So they understand what theses people did,” Steele said.
“It’s important for people to remember what our military has done for this country.”
The No Stone Left Alone project originated in Edmonton five years ago and has spread coast to coast.
