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| NEWS - November 18, 2008 |
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| Remembrance Day parade and wreath laying indoors |
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By Jeff D’Andrea
Advocate Staff
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The Athabasca Regional Multiplex Rotary Fieldhouse held its first ever Remembrance Day Parade, which marked the historic 90th Anniversary of the 1918 armistice signed between Marshall Ferdinand Foch and Matthias Erzberger to stop World War I.
Being in the multiplex, the service did not have to move to several locations as in the past, with the parade traditionally held downtown, the dignitaries’ speeches held in the Community Centre, and the wreath laying at the cenotaph.
It was all in the fieldhouse, as the parade went around the track of the fieldhouse, with all of the chairs set in the middle.
"Consider what hundreds of thousands of Canadians have done for us," said Athabasca Legion President John Poynter.
He then recited a version of the poem, Daddy’s Day, originally by Cheryl Costello-Forshey, but not without difficulty.
"I don’t know if I can get it out, but I’ll try," said an emotional Poynter.
Athabasca Mayor, Colleen Powell credited the Royal Canadian Legion in not only supporting Canadian military families, but also remembering them in ceremonies like this one.
"Because of the Legion, we remember those who fought in the war, and those who didn’t come home," said Powell.
Larry Armfelt, Athabasca County Reeve, appreciated the efforts of Canadian soldiers over the years to keep us safe. He saw just how safe we really are with his own eyes, during a trip he took in Mexico two years ago, and shared the experience with the crowd Tuesday in his greetings.
He was stopped by a young man with a machine gun during a trek in the backwoods of Mexico.
"I thought I was pretty safe, I was a paying customer, but I was intimidated when he looked at me," said Armfelt.
Things are a little different here.
"I’ve been to Onoway, Barrhead, Grand Prairie, and I never saw a gun," said Armfelt. |
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