CANORA - This is to inform our public and service organizations regarding the annual Remembrance Day services. Our Royal Canadian Legion branch and the Ministerial Association co-operate in this important public event. The Canora Courier is pleased to support us.
The services take place on Nov. 11 each year, which initially recalled the ending date of the First World War. The purpose of this is to thank, honour, respect and remember those who died, served, and continue to serve their country. The wars have been the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War and the Afghanistan War. Remembrance also includes peacetime service.
Canadian peacekeeping operations continue now in the world, providing us with more veterans. Canada has 2,000 troops stationed in 20 locations in the world, including Ukraine. Our veterans have served us very well. Just think what the world would be like had we lost either of the World Wars! We directly owe our status to our veterans who fought for our freedom and peace in difficult circumstances.
Would it not be tragic if the service, suffering, and deaths of veterans were not publically acknowledged in some ways as if their death and service would have been in vain and worse- forgotten? So that is what we intend to achieve on this day – respect and remembrance for what they unselfishly did for our freedom and peace. We do not encourage aggression or wars.
Volunteer members of our local Royal Canadian Legion and Ministerial Association offer these services to complement each other. It is hoped that people will attend all three components which are meaningful and respectful. In addition to remembrance, the Legion supports veterans and their families.
Veterans are those who perished, those who served, and those who continue to serve from military service including Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) members. Currently in town, we have a few retired RCMP members, several serving RCMP members, a former Canadian army member, and a British military veteran.
The first service on Nov. 11 begins at 10:45 a.m. at the Cenotaph in front of the town office and lasts one-half hour. The Cenotaph is a permanent hallowed memorial honouring those who died serving their country. At 11:30 a.m. an ecumenical spiritual service for all people begins at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, lasting one-half hour; the Canora Ministerial Association sponsors this. Then we proceed to the Legion dugout, kitty corner to the elementary school, for a delicious meal, time of socializing, meeting with veterans and sharing stories reflecting on veterans. The Legion and Ministerial Association were much encouraged and pleased with a good public turnout at all three locations last year after previous low attendance. Sincere thanks are offered to those who attended and we hope to have good turnout again this year.
Our Canora Royal Canadian Legion Branch consists of volunteer members, and we encourage more people to join. You do not need to be a veteran, all you need is to apply, be at least 18, be Canadian or a citizen of allied nation, and pay a modest fee. Please do come out on Nov. 11 at 10:45 a.m. and show you support our veterans, our Royal Canadian Legion and Ministerial Association. See you then.
As a bonus, we are very happy to inform that Lieutenant-Colonel Kevin L. Ciesielski, an excellent Canora homegrown product, will be joining us in the full day’s events and will be the featured guest speaker at our Remembrance Day luncheon in the legion dugout. YAAAY!
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