Remembrance Day photo Image: Acadia Broadcasting
Remembrance Day is just around the corner and the Thunder Bay community has been active paying tribute to veterans who served and continue to serve Canadians.
People of all ages have been getting involved including elementary students who have been helping clean veterans graves around the city.
Lakehead University hosted a ceremony for the community to recognize and pay tribute to First Nations, Métis and Inuit soldiers and veterans who served and continue to serve our country with distinction and bravery, for Indigenous Veterans Day.
Guests and speakers at the event included:
- Elder Melissa Roberts
- Darla Oja, Métis Veteran
- Michelle Salo, President, Confederation College
- Chief Michele Solomon, Fort William First Nation
- Denise Baxter, Vice-Provost, Indigenous Initiatives, Lakehead University
- Scott Bradley, Thunder Bay Museum
During the event, Thunder Bay’s museum announced a new Indigenous Veterans of northwestern Ontario traveling exhibit project.
The Project Team is looking to collaborate with Indigenous communities, individuals, and organizations interested in sharing their stories or helping to guide the creation of the exhibit.
Those looking for more information or to get involved can email IndigenousVeteransExhibit@thunderbaymuseum.com.
Meanwhile, the Thunder Bay’s Slovak Legion (branch 129) is working to make Remembrance Day more accessible.
“We have many Remembrance Day ceremonies, a lot of people cannot come out that are in the retirement homes to a Remembrance Day ceremony, so we do many Remembrance Day ceremonies at different (retirement homes),” explained Legion Sergeant in Arms, Kim Treichler. “We bring our flags with us, we have a padre, we have a a trumpeter, we also have a piper, and then we try and get a veteran from each place to lay a wreath. It just brings closures for a lot of them.”
The legion is making stops at the following retirement homes:
- Bethammi Nursing Home
- McKellar Place
- Chartwell Isabella Retirement Residence
- Sister Leila Greco
- Hogarth Riverview Manor
- The Walford
- Glacier Ridge Retirement Residence
- Jasper Place
- Chartwell Arundel
- Chartwell Hilldale
This year, legion members will attend Remembrance Day Services at Fort William Gardens after meeting for a brief service at their Legion Cenotaph at 10:00 a.m.
A bus will be available to transport the veterans involved to the Fort William Gardens.
The Fort William Garden service is taking place at 10:30 a.m.
Fort William First Nation’s Remembrance Day Ceremony is at the Anemki Wajiw (Mt. McKay) Cenotaph at 10:15 a.m.
