WESTLOCK – November 11 marks a solemn time for many as it is a time to reflect on and remember those lost serving our country while showing respect to those who are still with us.
Remembrance Day ceremonies will be taking place across the region Nov. 11. Some services will be held in-person while others will be held via livestream to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.
Westlock outdoors and online
To reduce contact and comply with COVID-19 restrictions, Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held virtually again via a YouTube livestream that can be accessed by anyone.
Westlock Legion president Paul Taverner will be joined by Legion chaplain Marjorie Steele who will lead the commemoration at the Westlock Cenotaph that will begin at 10:45 a.m. While they welcome spectators, they are asked to remain in the nearby parking lot or along the sidewalk to prevent crowding.
Pre-COVID the ceremonies would be held in Westlock & District Community Hall, but due to restrictions the Westlock Legion turned to livestreaming in 2020 and again this year.
“There are so many people who are afraid of COVID-19 and we just can’t have a big gathering like we normally could,” explained Taverner. “We used to fill the hall shoulder-to-shoulder but that is not a good idea for us right now”
Taverner says that last year the livestream brought in over 200 views, which he says is comparable to the number of people who would attend in-person.
In addition to the online viewers, members of the community stood in the parking lot near the Cenotaph to watch the ceremony from a distance while others watched from along the block at a safe distance.
“It’s a way to keep our young people informed on what’s happened in the past. This way they learn about the war, they learn about everything and we find it’s very important to keep this memory alive,” Taverner concluded.
Jarvie to hold outdoor service
In Jarvie, an outdoor community-ran ceremony will be held at the Cenotaph where all are invited to come Nov. 11 and remember those who served our country.
Organizer Jim Turnbull says that while there is no Legion operating in Jarvie, the community makes sure to hold its own ceremonies to show their remembrance and respect. Meeting will begin at 10:45 a.m. with commemorations starting at 11 a.m.
Around 20 wreaths will be laid by different members of the community, including the fire department, community councillors and Turnbull, who will place one down for veterans of the Korean war.
Because the location is outdoors, no masks will be required, however social distancing will be observed. Following the service, coffee will be served, however it will be limited to vaccinated individuals only in order to comply with provincial COVID-19 restrictions.
“Anybody who wants to come and enjoy the service can. It’s open to everybody,” said Turnbull.
Turnbull, a veteran of the Korean war, says that it is important to show respect and remembrance to those who served the country to protect freedom.
“Without remembering, we forget our freedom,” said Turnbull. “The people who went to war and didn’t come back fought for freedom, and that freedom has gone on for years. We all enjoy it and as such we should show respect for the people who fought and died for it.”
Clyde to gather at curling hall
An outdoor ceremony will be held in the Village of Clyde starting at the curling rink on 50 st. before moving to the Cenotaph just down the road.
Attendees are asked to gather at the curling rink at 10:45 a.m. where wreaths will be collected and carried to the Cenotaph. Ceremonies will begin at 10:55 a.m.
Organizer Jim Rau says they are hoping to keep it small to comply with COVID-19 restrictions, the same as they did last year. He says that crowd sizes shouldn’t be a problem as around 15 attendees took part in last year’s ceremonies.
“We hope that someday we can get back to what we had before, a short half-hour service before going to the Cenotaph to lay our wreaths,” said Rau. “We don’t want anybody to get sick.”
Rau, who’s father-in-law served in Second World War, says it is important to remember that the soldiers who fought for freedom were just ordinary people who were put in a difficult spot. He says that after hearing the stories his father-in-law told him, it’s something that should never be forgotten.
“There so much stuff going on in the world we sometimes forget what we have,” Rau commented. “Everybody thinks they’re heroes, but they were just farm boys scared out of their wits.”
