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The Veterans marched proudly
The Guard of Honour colour party leads the way
The Saugeen Shores Police in their 'dress blues'
The 133 Northport students represented the 133 Canadian soldiers lost in
Afghanistan
It was an emotional time for all
As it lead everyone to the Cenotaph, the colour party leads everyone away
at the end |
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The Cenotaph waits patiently When asked,
many of the veterans in Port Elgin, Saugeen Shores, said they couldn't
recall a Remembrance Day that was so unseasonably warm and sunny.
Crowds of people lined the street and gathered at the cenotaph as
veterans, Legion members, cadets, police, scouts and guides marched to
the cenotaph lead by a colour honour guard and pipers.
As the number of veterans grows smaller with each passing year, the Port
Elgin ceremony this year tried to include as many young people as
possible and, many took part in the laying of wreaths.
One of the most poignant moments however, occurred when 133 young
elementary students from Northport Public School in Port Elgin, each
carrying a red carnation walked in a single line to the front of the
cenotaph. Each of the carnations had affixed to it, the name of one of
the Canadian soldiers who has died in Afghanistan. As the students kept
coming forward in a line, each placing his or her red carnation, while
saying the name of the soldier, at the base of the cenotaph, the reality
of the number of troops lost suddenly seem to become a reality to
everyone gathered and some wept openly.
At the end of the ceremony, as the veterans and those others in uniform
marched away, the crowd broke into spontaneous applause.
The 2009 Remembrance Day service will long be remembered ... for the
first time in living memory of those attending, the weather was perfect;
the memory of wars past became a reality for younger generations given
today's Canadian participation in another very real war in Afghanistan;
people who may have felt disconnected from war and the military, in a
moment became united.
It all was palpable and it was a very special time that everyone there
will undoubtedly remember.
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The young Cadets of Saugeen Shores
Cubs and Scouts watched as the Veterans marched away
A solitary veteran quietly reflects at the end of the service
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