Approximately 50 people physically distanced and gathered outside the Nakusp Cenotaph on Nov. 11 to participate in a Remembrance Day ceremony.
Wreaths were already placed before the ceremony started to comply with physical distancing protocols around COVID-19.
Both a piper and a trumpeter helped to play O Canada and the Lament to mark the start of this year’s ceremony at 11 a.m.
Padre Dan Freeman conducted a prayer and read out a sermon to pay respect to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms that Canadians enjoy today.
One by one, Nakusp Legion president Harvey Truax also read out the names of seven local soldiers that died during the Second World War. He said it was important to recognize and honour the soldiers who fought in the war as there are not many still alive in Nakusp anymore.
Truax also honoured the Member of Parliament, the Member of the Legislative Assembly, the Regional District of Central Kootenay, the Nakusp mayor and the many others who donated wreaths for the ceremony.
Nakusp resident Lee Or live streamed the ceremony on social media.
“There were so many people that were grateful the event was being recorded online,” said Truax.
After the 20-minute ceremony wrapped up, many people stuck around to lay wreaths or to put poppies on them to remember their own family members who fought in past wars.
Three RCMP members also marched up to the cenotaph to lay their own wreath in remembrance of all Canadian soldiers.
Everyone in Nakusp seemed grateful that they could hold a ceremony in some fashion this year.
“The whole ceremony went really well. Even the weather cooperated with us this year,” said Truax.
“We had a fair size and while it wasn’t as many people as previous years, they still enjoyed it and followed all the provincial health protocols.”
Even though Legion members didn’t hand out poppies on Nakusp streets this year due to the crisis, their poppy drive is still going strong given the circumstances.
“We’ve been able to send out 16 poppy trays to businesses and organizations this fall,” said Truax.
“While we normally send out about 20, there was just four that weren’t able to receive them this time around.”
Similar scaled-down Remembrance Day ceremonies also took place in Rossland, Nelson and Castlegar.
READ MORE: There are plenty of ways to honour Remembrance Day without visiting cenotaphs
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