SMALL REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICES NOT PUBLIC THIS YEAR
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
MUSKOKA — Royal Canadian Legions are suffering in silence this week.
Betty Smith, past president of Huntsville’s Branch 232, says just two of the eight local branches are holding small by-invitation only indoor services on Remembrance Day Nov. 11 due to COVID-19.
Six have already been held, including in Huntsville yesterday.
The zone commander says they didn’t want to advise people in case they showed up.
Turning people away is not the legion way.
But with stiff fines for over-crowding, Smith said no one was taking any chances by advertising in advance.
“The fines are horrendous.”
They were all intimate, but moving just the same.
Smith said six or seven veterans were among those in attendance in Huntsville who all appreciated being invited.
She said the service will be posted on their website and Facebook page Wednesday at 11 a.m. for full viewing.
It’s the same case in Bracebridge, where they held their service a week ago Sunday.
In Gravenhurst, they are holding a service this Wednesday at 11 a.m., indoors.
It, too, will be a private, by-invitation only service for 25 veterans and dignitaries.
Branch executive member and organizer J.R. Ure says it’s unfortunate with expected good weather this year.
“But we wanted to be safe and we can’t do it like we used to.”
Next year, he hopes.
It still takes a small army to organize even an intimate event and put out and collect poppy boxes.
He says all their wreaths will be put in place early in the morning before the service and only a couple from the branch, the government of Canada and the town will be officially presented.
And there will still be the Last Post, two minutes of silence, the piper’s lament and reville.
The national command also suggests Canadians stay at home and tune in to TV coverage across the country.
For the first time ever they are asking people not to attend ceremonies in person.
With Canada’s major broadcasters planning to air their familiar Remembrance Day coverage, would-be spectators can pay their respects from home.
The Legion will also broadcast the ceremony via Facebook Live.
Legions have been hit hard by the coronavirus; with many not even opening (like Huntsville) or having limited hours.
Hall rentals have been virtually non-existent.
And this being their biggest and busiest week of the year, they’ve had to make huge concessions.
There are no tag days and dozens of wreaths that they count on for support by placing around cenotaphs aren’t possible.
Poppy boxes in stores and in other public places are still out there.
But with fewer people out and about, seeing the familiar red poppy on lapels isn’t as common as it’s always been.
So numbers and dollars are down.
But infrastructure costs to run branches remain near to normal.
The pandemic and restrictions related to gatherings, has meant the planning of significantly smaller ceremonies across the country, or their outright cancellation. Other gatherings are being replaced with virtual ceremonies in some communities.
About The Royal Canadian Legion
Founded in 1925, the legion is Canada’s largest veteran support and community service organization. It is a non-profit organization with a national reach — with close to 260,000 members — as well as branches in the U.S., Europe and Mexico.
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