SIMPLE, SOLEMN, SUCCESSFUL REMEMBRANCE IN GRAVENHURST
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
GRAVENHURST — Today was a day to remember.
Sons and daughters lost to wars.
Daughters and sons, moms and dads, friends lost to the coronavirus.
Remembrance Day had more poignancy as Canadians paused for two minutes this morning.
And rightlfully eerily fewer people in person.
At the Harry Wray Branch #302 Royal Canadian Legion in Gravenhurst this morning 14 legionnaires and Mayor Paul Kelly spread out masked and socially-distanced inside the big banquet hall as president Heather Schell conducted a short and bittersweet service.
Outside at the cenotaph — where in past years hundreds gathered bundled against cold along Bethune Drive, on the hill overlooking the legion in a joint communal spirit of celebration — comrade Jim Reid lowered the nation’s flag during the playing of the Last Post by legion company bugler Mark Clairmont and piper Scott Smith.
Reid wasn’t alone.
Ten people — six to his right, three to his left and one in front stood safely and silently apart, unable to stay away against the better wishes of health officials.
Fire Chief Larry Barrard and a dozen black-shirted firefighters stood at attention in the parking lot on a brilliant, unusually sunny November day.
Back inside, Schell and comrade J.R. Ure — who helped organize the initiate ceremony and read the names of those lost in wars — were joined by Rev. Padre Tim Richardson, of the Ryde Free Methodist Church, who brought memorized scripture, but not his Bible.
He offered praise for those who gave their lives in sacrifice of what we have today.
Kelly honoured veterans for coming home to rebuild the community.
Comrade Bob Nix was among those who returned.
The Toronto Cabbagetown kid who went off to war — in his father’s footsteps — did so south of the border with the 1st U.S. Cavalry.
After 39 distinguished years in the American military, including three tours of duty in Vietnam, he returned to Canada and now finds home and comfort in Gravenhurst.
The 74-year-old retired colonel, a little shaky now on his feet, still managed with an elbow to walk to the front of the hall to present a large green round wreath emblazoned with a bright red diagonal sash on behalf of the country, which simply read Canada.
But it said and stood for a lot more.
It represented a couple dozen Canadians — and perhaps one more — who took unusual steps in unusual times to stop and pay tribute as never before.
Because it would’ve been easy to use COVID restrictions as an excuse to skip a year and hope to all returns to normal in 2021.
For lest we forget we are doomed to repeat past atrocities as thankfully seldom witnessed in two great wars prior to 75 years ago.
But with will, belief and heart Branch #302 executives carried on as if fighting a new enemy and with fewer people to mount the charge one more time.
And it worked.
Simple, solemn and successful.
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