WC remembers starting Saturday
By Jake Davies - West Carleton Online
WEST CARLETON – Remembrance Day is an important time for contemplation in Ward 5 and this year the community will have two traditional events to participate in as well as a new event in Galetta, and each one is on a different day.
Constance Bay starts week of remembrance
CONSTANCE BAY – First up is the annual West Carleton Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 616, Remembrance Day service held, as tradition dictates, the first Saturday (Nov. 8) before Remembrance Day.
Branch 616 (377 Allbirch Rd.) opens its doors at noon. The service starts at 1 p.m. with the colour parade including active Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans led by a colour guard, pipes and drums band and other dignitaries down Allbirch Road to the branch leaving from McConnell Street and Constance Bay Road.
The ceremony at the Legion cenotaph begins immediately after parade arrives.
“Please come inside after the service for a late lunch courtesy of the branch,” the Legion released in a statement.
West Carleton Online attended last year’s event and you can see our coverage here.
Galetta serving CAF members, veterans breakfast Nov. 9
GALETTA – The Galetta Community Association (GCA) is making it possible to squeeze in breakfast between West Carleton’s two most significant Remembrance Day services.
This year, on Sunday, Nov. 9, the GCA is hosting the inaugural Pancakes and Poppies Breakfast.
“We are pleased to serve veterans and active members of the Canadian Armed Forces wearing medals or in uniform at no charge,” the GCA released in a statement yesterday (Oct. 9). “Save the d ate.”
But breakfast is open to everyone, and if you don’t fit in to the above category, you can get a breakfast of pancakes, bacon or sausage, eggs, fruit, coffee, tea and juice for the incredible price of $10.
All children under 12, whether in the army or not, eat for free.
GCA volunteers will be serving breakfast Sunday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Galetta Community Centre (119 Darwin St.).
West Carleton War Memorial Nov. 11 service
CARP – West Carleton’s largest Remembrance Day service returns on Tuesday, Nov. 11 in downtown Carp at the West Carleton War Memorial found on Donald B. Munro Dr. at the bottom of Falldown Lane.
Retired Canadian Armed Forces veterans Cheryl Bush and Peter Bowles return to organize their third Remembrance Day service.
“Remembrance Day isn’t just about remembering the war and the fallen,” Bowles told West Carleton Online last year. “It’s remembering sacrifices and sacrifice isn’t just soldiers. Sacrifices include the men and women who lost parents, brothers and sisters or children. Those who had to do without. During the war it was well documented there were food shortages, oil shortages and metal shortages. People had to do more with less. People had to make sacrifices here at home as well as abroad. So, I think it’s about those things and how Canadians came together at a time when the world was having some troubles, much like it is now. I think it’s to remember everybody’s role in that, not just those who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
“I’ve done a lot of events planning, but to actually focus and it being Remembrance, it was a very humbling experience knowing I actually helped put this service on,” Bush said. “Just knowing the significance behind it.”
The service will take place at the West Carleton War Memorial at the bottom of Falldown Lane at Donald B. Munro Drive. Organizers ask those taking part in the service to be in their viewing position for 10:45 a.m. in time for the start of the 10:50 a.m. service.
In past years, Jack MacLaren has hosted a small Remembrance Day service at his farm, but at time of publication we cannot verify if this event is happening this year.
