We Remember, and Will Never Forget

This post is a somber -  but important one. Today, November 11th is Remembrance day.  I wanted to take some time to acknowledge the strength and courage of all of those who fought for our country. November 11th marks the day World War One ended ; at the 11th hour, On the 11th day, of the 11th month. On this day we not only remember all of those who died on the front lines but also all of those who served  in the home front. The freedom and peace we have in Canada is honoured on this day and I wanted to thank all of the soldiers who sacrificed and endured so much so make it possible.  

This past weekend I went to Fergus Ontario, and my heart felt heavy. I really like going to Fergus this time of year because no other town I've been to has this much respect for soldiers. Every lampost on the downtown street was dedicated to a different soldier. This included a banner with their photo and name (as well as their family name, or descendant). All of the store fronts had a display with photos, helmets, medals or poppies. The local church also had a massive poppy display on the outside, starting at the roof all the way to the floor. You can see it here in my Instagram post. It's a really beautiful tribute and the respect was felt when walking down the street. 

However one of the most beautiful - and heartbreaking- tributes is this one at the Wellington County Museum and Archives.  It's about 5 minutes outside of Fergus, Ontario (Between Fergus and Elora).  In front of the museum there is a large lawn with a path in the middle leading up to the museum from a metal gate. The entire lawn is fulled with white signs with poppies that say "we will remember you". It really makes your heart stop when you see it from far away. Then you get closer and look at the back and realize each sign is dedicated to a particular soldier with their, name, age and which war they were a part of. It shatters your heart. While I was there, numerous people approached the museum and walked through the signs reading all the names. You could tell family members had stopped by because some of the signs had small Canadian flags at the base.  I really wanted to highlight this beautiful tribute and recommend that you visit if live in the area. 

I will be attending the Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum this morning. If you are not able to attend a ceremony this year, all news outlets will the transmitting a ceremony (Probably the one from Ottawa) as well as all radio stations will be pausing for two minutes of silence at 11am so make sure to tune in. And lastly if you are able to, please consider making a donation to the Royal Canadian Legion here.