On November 5th, Rocky View County held a Remembrance Service at the Garden of Peace Cemetery. Rocky View County invited thirty junior and senior high school students from St. Gabriel the Archangel School in Chestermere to join in the remembrance ceremony.
On the beautiful afternoon, students and staff from the invited school were joined by members of Rocky View County as they gathered at the cenotaph and began the ceremony with the singing of “O Canada”. Students from St. Gabriel’s school read poems and quotes, explaining the significance of Remembrance Day and the gratitude that should be shown to the Veteran’s.
A beautiful wreath was laid at the base of the cenotaph, a moment of silence was held and then the students went through the hallowed grounds, placing a poppy and a small Canada flag on each Veterans marker, where the poppy’s will remain until Remembrance Day. The Garden of Peace Cemetery’s Field of Honour, is the final resting place for between 400-450 veterans and veterans spouses. When the students were done laying out the poppy’s and flags, it was a beautiful site to see.
With 2014 being the 75th anniversary of Canada’s engagement in the Second World War during where more than one million Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in the military. “This is the first year we have done this type of ceremony,” said Todd Baker, Cemetery Co-Ordinator with Rocky View County. “We will continue to do this in years to come and will be inviting even more students, members of the military, more firefighters and a bugler.”
With a fresh falling of snow now adorned with poppy’s and Canadian flags, you could feel the emotion from the students as they looked upon the Veteran markers and that they truly understood what each of the soldiers had given and the importance of paying tribute to them.
