Remember and honour the veterans at the Strathmore Legion today

The Strathmore Royal Canadian Legion will be holding their annual Remembrance Day service today at 10:30 AM. The annual ceremony is an important way to remember those who served in the military and lost their lives fighting for our country, as well as honouring the veterans who continue to fight for us.

For the ceremony, the Legion assembled their Field of Crosses, where each name represents a name on the cenotaph. At the center of the field is the unknown soldier, which represents all soldiers who lost their lives fighting for their country.

Chair of the Poppy Board Jenny Schumann said the ceremony will take place inside due to potentially cold weather and the snow, but there will still be a laying of a wreath at a cenotaph they have indoors. The cadets and RCMP will also be helping with the service.

Schumann added the ceremony is important to remember all veterans and everyone who served. While remembering WWI and WWII veterans is of course very important, there are many others who served after that and who continue to serve that can be forgotten about. These include but aren't limited to, the Gulf War, Korean War, Afghanistan, and Vietnam.

Schumann added the RCMP and city police are considered veterans as well, and in light of the sentencing of the Andrew Harnett case, Schumann said we need to remember the police who serve and lost their lives as well.

"Wear a poppy for him too, the RCMP and city police are considered veterans as well, and he did serve with the Canadian forces before he stepped into the police and he even was a member of our branch. So it's kind of a personal note for us as well."

Harnett was a great community member for us and the Legion, and he is still very fondly remembered to this day for his positive community presence.

"Every year since he moved here he would be at our Remembrance Day ceremony working, he was one of the RCMP or police city police on duty. He was very much involved with our legion."

Chili and a bun will be provided by the Ladies Auxiliary after the service. If you are unable to make it to the ceremony in person, the Town of Strathmore will also be doing a live broadcast of the service. 

The Grave of the Unknown Soldier outside of the Strathmore Legion

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