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November 11th is fast approaching and the question I have had on my mind for the last few days’ centers around remembrance and what it means to you.
After the unveiling ceremony for the Afghanistan War Monument here in Grande Prairie, it became very obvious to me that like everything in life, there are varying degrees of remembrance and various reasons for remembrance.

Our monument and the 4 individual memorials that pay tribute to the fallen connected to Grande Prairie and region attracted approximately 70 citizens for the dedication ceremony. In spite of having done a lot of marketing on radio, social media etc. the weather tanked on us and therefore people just didn’t come out.

My question is a simple one, what moves you to honour or remember our soldiers and their sacrifices, their families and their enduring sacrifices?

I ask as a kid who grew up in a military family. My father did not care of it was 40 below out, on Remembrance day, unless you were advanced in your years and infirm, you were at the cenotaph on Remembrance Day, no ifs, ands or buts.

I remember his diatribes well, “Those soldiers fought in all kinds of weather, conditions, they didn’t get snow days, or days off while in the battlefield, a little snow and cold isn’t gonna’ hurt you for an hour.”

When I compare where we live to the images I see around the world, when I get on my motorcycle or attend a meeting with other business women, I feel so blessed and grateful and I know I have to opportunity I have in part because of our military, their service and their sacrifice and the sacrifices their families make as a result.

Do you honour Remembrance Day?
Do you attend an indoor or outdoor ceremony? Tell me why you chose the service you did too please.

If you don’t honour Remembrance Day, may I ask why? I really, truly would like to try and understand.

Here in Grande Prairie we have two services on Remembrance Day, I’ll be at the cenotaph, because that’s what my father would expect of me were he still alive.

I leave you with this snippet of the poem “For the Fallen”
Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider

For the Fallen (stanzas 2-3)
Robert Laurence Binyon, by artist William Strang.

Poem by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943), published in The Times newspaper on 21st September 1914.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.



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