Nelson residents will get to honour the brave men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice defending Canadian freedom in person this Friday.
“We are having a parade this year,” says Legion Branch president Bill Haire. “It is all hands on deck to get it ready for Friday at 10:45.”
According to Haire the Legion suspended all in person services for the past two years because of the pandemic, but they were able to virtually stream the proceedings so everyone could participate in one way.
“We received our directives from our provincial and national command,” he says. “We have not received any directives about restricting services so we are going ahead like we did before.”
Haire says he is optimistic about holding services in person and he is proud of the community support to honour Remembrance Day even through the past two years.
“For our city the community support has been awesome, just awesome,” he says. “We were overwhelmed with how generous the city has been with supporting the annual poppy campaign for veterans.”
Haire says so far the poppy campaign has raised approximately $2,900 in just one day with the assistance of the air and sea cadets.
“Our public is extremely supportive,” says Haire. “They are understanding of the consequences of war and the impact it has on our community.”
According to Haire during the first and second world wars the population of Nelson would have been half of what it is today and to see the names of the people on the cenotaph has a big impact on the community.
“I am not from Nelson,” he says. “The number of names on that monument had to have an effect on the city, not just back then but now as well.”
The parade will leave the Legion Friday morning at 10:45 and arrive at the cenotaph for 11.
All information about Nelson’s Royal Canadian Legion and Remembrance Day services can be found on their Facebook site.