KISBEY - As the snow cascaded gently to the ground on Nov. 11, Remembrance Day services were held in many communities and Kisbey was one of them.
Kisbey and area residents attended a service in Arcola at the Mac Murray Theatre, but they also hold their own service in the afternoon.
Nora Weightman opened the service for the Royal Canadian Legion’s Kisbey branch at 2:30 p.m. at the Kisbey Recreation Centre.
As the singing of O Canada concluded, the trumpet began, and the crowd fell silent for those that had fallen.
The service continued with a prayer and scripture reading by Kevin St. John.
Weightman read each name from the roll of honour, but there are a few names that are unidentified.
C. Bohn, H. Brown, C. McKenzie, and J. Thompson have no information, and the Kisbey branch would be grateful for any information on these people so they can get the recognition they deserve.
Wreaths were laid, hymns were sung and closing prayers were said. It was now time to hear from the guest speaker.
Marcie Erick once lived in Arcola, but now resides in Swift Current. She spoke at both the Arcola and Kisbey services.
When Erick was growing up, she said she was like most kids, she went to the school service for Remembrance Day on Nov. 10, then went with her family on Nov. 11, and then it was a long weekend.
She often wondered how the veterans could stand so still and straight, and if the moment of silence was really 60 seconds long.
Erick’s now older. She jumped on her Harley Davidson in August 2017 and rode with veterans and first responders for a cause. It was at this time she realized that veterans were all ages and they often struggled with PTSD.
She knew now that she needed to help them and since she loved to quilt, she joined Quilts of Valour (QOV).
These quilts are handmade or machine made. Colours are carefully selected, along with the pattern and printed fabrics. They need to measure 55 inches by 70 inches and must have the QOV logo on it. This organization is across Canada and has helped many people with their struggles.
The quilt is a symbol of comfort and when the person wraps themselves in this blanket, they will know that they are never alone and will always have someone to talk to.
Const. Doug Pilgrim received a quilt from Erick on behalf of the RCMP while attending the Arcola service.
Erick said she has spoken to many veterans who deal with PTSD, and it gives her great honour to place a quilt around their shoulders.
As the service ended, everyone was invited to stay for a luncheon of sandwiches, drinks and sweets. The crowd had an opportunity to socialize and enjoy the remainder of the afternoon.
