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RUSSELL VILLAGE OBSERVES FALLEN VETERANS
Pendant la cérémonie, le cénotaphe était gardé par deux soldats solennels. —photo Christopher Smith
The parade returned just in time for the two minutes of silence. —photo Christopher Smith
La foule s’est avancée pour déposer ses coquelicots sur le cénotaphe. —photo Christopher Smith
CHRISTOPHER SMITH christopher.smith@eap.on.ca
call to us that vigilance and courage are still required, and that the responsibility we bear is not merely to remember the past, but to shape a future where such sacrifices are no longer needed. Here in Russell Township, let our remembrance be more than a reflection; let it be an active commitment, a pledge to foster community that spans as a beacon of hope, inclusivity, and peace.” After Leroux’s speech, Reverend Matthew Kingswood read from the scripture to honour those that gave their lives in the world wars and the Korean war. The crowd read the poem ‘In Flander’s Fields’, lead by Robin Chalmers, and then the Last Post signalled the start of the customary two minutes of silence. The Caledonian pipes and drums sounded the Lament, and then Bill Norman and Christine Durocher read the Act of Remembrance. The representatives then lined up for the laying of the wreaths. Mayor Leroux laid the wreath for Canada, and there were also wreaths for the Ontario Government, Russell township, the Korean War Veterans Association, the Russell Fire Department and other local organizations. Finally, after ‘God Save the King’ sang by Durocher, the crowd was invited to deposit their poppies on the cenotaph.
A large crowd gathered at the cenotaph in Russell village to remember those who gave their lives for freedom. Russell Township held its annual Remem- brance Day celebration on November 11, gathering at the cenotaph outside of the Russell Legion building. It began with the annual parade, which formed up at 10:15 a.m. and left about 10 minutes later. After it returned, Christine Durocher led everyone in singing O Canada before Russell Mayor Pierre Leroux addressed the crowd. “Just as many of you do, I carry personal echoes of the past, ancestors who fought and fell in global struggles or world conflicts. These were individuals who once walked the streets we now roam. It was their selfless- ness and courage that secured the tapestry of peace under which we now live. It is their legacy that compels us to cherish and uphold the freedoms we often take for granted,” Leroux said. “In places far from our peaceful township, the flames of war still rage, and people much like ourselves seek the security and pros- perity we are privileged to enjoy. This stark reality brings into focus our own role in the global tapestry of humanity. It is a clarion
A crowd of local children joined in the parade. —photo Christopher Smith
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