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Remembrance Day celebrated around RVC

Chestermere residents will pay their respects to Canada’s soldiers and veterans Nov. 11, during the city’s annual Remembrance Day Ceremony at Anniversary Park, located at 208 West Chestermere Drive.

The yearly service will be held at the cenotaph at 10:45 a.m. According to Mayor Marshall Chalmers, the ceremony will include a singing of Canada’s national anthem, two minutes of silence, a reading of The Act of Remembrance and laying of the wreaths.

A pre-ceremony Veterans’ March to the cenotaph kicks off at 10 a.m. from the Chestermere Fire Hall.

“This is a very important event for us, like it is for every community,” Chalmers said, adding the Veteran’s Food Bank will also be accepting donations at various locations throughout Chestermere, including multiple schools, city hall and the Chestermere Public Library.

A former police chief, Chalmers said honouring men and women who serve is very near and dear to his heart.

“You think back, last year marked 100 years since the end of the hostilities of World War I,” he said. “Ever since then, we’ve been gathering Nov. 11 to pay respects to the fallen soldiers, pay tribute to the services of our veterans and really reflect on the cost of peace, at home and abroad.

“We’re so blessed to live in a country that has exceptional freedoms, so it’s important to take the time to remember why we have those freedoms.”

A new addition to the Remembrance Day ceremony this year is the City’s “Honour our Veterans Banner Program.” Introduced by Chestermere’s Streetscape Committee, the initiative provides custom-made banners that recognize and honour veterans with connections to local families.

Chalmers said more than 10 of the banners were hung this year at Anniversary Park.

“They’re awesome,” he said. “They’re full-size banners that have the veteran’s picture on them. It’s just another way of honouring our veterans.”

Crossfield ceremony

For residents of north Rocky View County, the Crossfield branch of the Royal Canadian Legion will host its annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the Crossfield Community Hall at 10:45 a.m. The service will include the national anthem, a moment of silence and laying of the wreaths.

Members of the local Legion will also be on hand at W.G. Murdoch School for presentations to students about the importance of Remembrance Day.

“Their goal is to bring awareness to children in the community about both the Great Wars, to make sure we keep remembering them well into the future,” said Town of Crossfield communications and research officer Christina Waldner.

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