“While it is going to be different, we feel it’s important to have something, especially since it is the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II,” said Deloraine Legion President Bob Carlson.
Tim Barron will be live streaming the service on Deloraine Legion’s Facebook page for those who cannot attend and wish to still watch the service.
The Melita Legion has decided to not hold a service this year.
Boissevain Legion will see its service change significantly this year. Instead of a public service in the Legion Hall, they will be holding a private one at the cenotaph on November 11. Wreaths will be laid prior to the ceremony.
Melita School is having a virtual service. The classes will be videotaped reciting poems and songs and a special Remembrance Day display has been set up in the library. The video will be shown to the classrooms on November 10 and will also be available for the parents to watch.
Deloraine School Grade 12 students are planning an online service. It will be posted on November 10 on Deloraine Swap and Shop, Deloraine Recreation and Tourism, and the Deloraine School Student Council Facebook and instagram pages.
To commemorate Remembrance Day, Waskada School Grades 5-8 students have painted memorial rocks that will be placed on main street to help remind people to take a moment to reflect on Remembrance Day. On November 10, all students will partake in a silent walk to the Legion Memorial Park, to show their respect and to say “thank you, we will remember them.”
Pierson School usually does a service for the community but this year each class has prepared a poem, song or something similar, which will be on a YouTube video link. The service is all pre-recorded and put together as a video to share with the community.
Boissevain School participated in their second No Stone Left Alone program, in which students placed paper poppies on the graves of veterans on November 4. Coronavirus made it very different this year, with only K-6 students participating. They might not have been able to get to each grave, but organizing teacher Hannah Beghin said it was still very important to remember the veterans, especially as they cannot hold a ceremony in the school. She said her students were impressed by the ceremony they held.
“My students in Grade 5 were so amazed to see all of the white crosses and flags in our cemetery,” Beghin said. “They had no idea how many people in their own community had served in the many wars. They felt proud and accomplished to provide these veterans with a moment of thought.”
Where there’s a will there’s a way. There may not be many gatherings on November 11, but the essence and importance of Remembrance Day is still being taught to the youth and through the innovation of technology everyone can still be “together” that day.

by JUDY WELLS, Recorder Staff