Members of the 108th Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion in Châteauguay observed Remembrance Day two months early, on September 11th, this year.
The reconstruction of the building that houses the Legion shuffled schedules around. The general contractor began the excavation work on the lot on September 14th, confirmed Frank Cholette, President of the Châteauguay Royal Canadian Legion.
A “Less Elaborate” Ceremony
The commemorative ceremony on the Gilmour street site was attended by some fifteen people and was far less elaborate than usual, Mr. Cholette specified.
It included the Canadian National Anthem, a moment of prayer and the laying of close to a dozen wreaths at the base of the cenotaph to honour veterans. Due to the pandemic, there was no parade through Châteauguay’s streets. On November 11th, a video of that ceremony will be posted on the organization’s Facebook page.
The poppy campaign will remain visible at five local businesses until November 11th, with the exception of Sunday, November 8th. Veterans who will take a break for the event will give up their places to volunteers.
“It’s harder this year. We didn’t want to ask our vulnerable clients to have to sit for two hours with a mask on and risk becoming ill,” explained Frank Cholette. The poppy campaign will also be transported to other institutions and business through the use of donation boxes.
With the health guidelines in place, a number of people are drawing a parallel between the COVID-19 pandemic and war times.
Veteran Frank Cholette sees two different realities though. “When a pandemic occurs, we learn to live with the situation. When there is a war, there isn’t much control. We are part of a group of soldiers and unfortunately there are consequences, people die. It’s not the same,” he mentioned.
Mary Gardner School Remembers
Close to 400 students from Mary Gardner in Châteauguay will, in their own turn, remember the soldiers who protected their allies on November 11th. “Remembrance Day is sacred,” said Mary Gardner School Principal Lynn Harkness. From their respective classrooms, students will watch a commemorative video that was made with the help of the school’s administration, local legions, politicians, as well as children and their families. A celebrity wall will be included in the video as well.
(Translation Amanda Bennett)
