Lest we forget.

Those who paid the supreme sacrifice won’t be forgotten, as Royal Canadian Legion Branch 76 in Meadow Lake once again hosts the community’s annual Remembrance Day ceremony this Tuesday (Nov. 11) at Legacy Hall in the Meadow Lake Co-op Centre.

“The service begins at 10 a.m.,” explained Alloha Twanow of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 76. “It’s being held at a new location this year (for many years the service has been held at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre). We’re going to try it anyway. I don’t know how much longer we are going to be able to use the civic centre, so I thought we would give this a try. If it doesn’t work, we’ll go back to the civic centre.” The service itself will follow the traditional program observed each and every year with performances by the community band, representation by various dignitaries, as well as the traditional laying of wreaths to honour local veterans. Lunch at the Legion will follow the service.

“We often get a pretty good turnout,” Twanow said. “Someone told me this fall our service people have always pursued peace. It needs to be remembered, those who died, those who fought over the years – in the World Wars, Korea, Afghanistan – that was always the pursuit – peace – and it still is to this day. I have a greatnephew who happens to be in the service and that was his comment. The goal is the pursuit of peace. The people who have gone before us need to be honoured, those who are participating now need to be recognized and respected, and, as the young people are growing up, they need to recognize this has been Canada’s role in the world for numerous years.”

Twanow is optimistic this is a message the younger generation takes to heart and truly appreciates. “They need to be taught,” she said. “That’s it in a nutshell. They need to be taught, which means we need to talk about it. As Legion members, as community members, this is what we need to do. Peace begins at home – not just in your house, but in your community and in your country. It begins at home. If you learn peace and how to live in peace, you can make a difference.”

Meanwhile, the Legion’s annual poppy campaign kicked off Oct. 31 and continues until Remembrance Day. People can make a donation to the local branch, wear a poppy with pride and know their contributions will go toward helping veterans in need. “Funds from the poppy campaign do not support the day-to-day operations of the Legion,” Twanow said. “The poppy campaign is there to support veterans first and foremost. We have used our local poppy campaign fund to support veterans with hotel costs when visiting Saskatoon for health care needs or medical treatment… It’s particularly for veterans in need.”