The Royal Canadian Legion’s Estevan branch has announced plans for its annual Remembrance Day service.
In an interview with the Mercury, Troy LeBlanc, who is the chairperson for the Remembrance Day ceremony, said he has been working on a plan for the event since June, and the service on Nov. 11 will look very different.
For starters, the ceremony will be held outdoors at the cenotaph near the Estevan Court House, rather than at the Estevan Comprehensive School, since the school is not accessible by anyone other than students, teachers and staff.
The service at the cenotaph will start at 10:45 a.m., and will have a limited number of people present. The service, which will happen regardless of weather conditions, will be streamed on the legion’s Facebook page and Access Communications, who will film it. People are encouraged to stay home to watch the service.
The service will be very condensed from previous years, because while there will be some of the traditional elements, there won’t be a guest speaker, and no marching or parading.
There will be a wreath ceremony.
Additional content will be shared throughout the day on Facebook and Access, including the presentations that local military historian Capt. Craig Bird of the local Army Cadets has done on Vimy Ridge and the Battle of the Scheldt; previous Remembrance Day services, interviews with local veterans, a story on the Estevan Soldiers’ Tree, a digital poppy drop and the multi-media presentation for local veterans that has aired at previous Remembrance Day services.
LeBlanc noted that other legion branches have been talking with Estevan once they found out Estevan was doing something. The Estevan legion will always remember those who have died in military conflict.
“We haven’t ever, to my knowledge, not had a service,” LeBlanc said. “The purpose for Remembrance Day is to always remember our fallen comrades and why they paid the ultimately sacrifice.”
The next edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.
