Brenda Crawford | Nov 15, 2023


I would just like to thank Gregg and Adele Hamelin from the Beautification Committee for placing our Remembrance Day Wreaths beside the lovely metal poppy containers in the parkette in Harrowsmith. The poppies were made by the late Rick Law to pay tribute to all our veterans who served our country in war times and in peace. We do not have a cenotaph, but the wall of remembrance is behind the poppies.

It was especially memorable for me as my late Father, Harold Snider walked with his WWII volunteers to board the train in the exact same ground on their way to fight. I held in my hands letters from my Father telling the family as much as he could about his experience overseas. I had a picture of my Mother, standing at the gas pump in front of the former Gailbraithe’s General store looking down where my Dad would return home on the same pathway.

The group of us was small, but we recited In Flanders Field, held our moment of silence, and listened to Taps at the end. We visited for a while, put our poppies on the wreaths, and made our way home.

Remembering is the most important part of November 11 whether in a crowd, a small group of friends, or alone.

Brenda Crawford

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