A day to remember the fallen

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A day to remember the fallen

Details: Published on Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Photo by Eoin Devereux. Local members of the RCMP and members of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 23, took part in this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony at the Yellowhead Centre.

By Eoin Devereux

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

The sacrifices of those who have proudly served our country in wars and military missions were remembered in Neepawa on Wednesday, Nov. 11 during the annual Remembrance Day service.

The event featured the ceremonial laying of the wreaths from representatives of the town of Neepawa, the provincial government, as well as the RCMP, Royal Canadian Legion and several other communities and organizations.

For this year, attendance was up, as around 600 people, both young and old, packed the Yellowhead Hall for the service. Royal Canadian Legion Branch 23 past president Bonner Birnie said it was very gratifying to see so many people coming out to show their respects to those who have served and continue to serve.

“It’s nice to see. As the years go on, it’s so important to make sure that the younger generation understands exactly what happened and the significance of the day,” noted Birnie.

Neepawa Mayor Adrian de Groot laid a wreath on behalf of the town and said seeing so many members from the community gather together in this manner is overwhelming.

“I arrived a bit early for the ceremony and as I spoke with people, I noticed more and more cars arriving and more and more people crowding into the hall. It’s really overwhelming and it bodes well for the future, in the sense that we remember what [the soldiers] went through to ensure we have the freedoms that we have,” said de Groot.

Ste. Rose MLA Stu Briese echoed those sentiments and added that participating in events like this are one of the parts of his job that he is most proud of.

Many veterans of World War II, who continue to live in and around the Neepawa area, were also in attendance for the ceremony. Birnie said having them involved gives the occasion extra significance.