COLD LAKE - The Cold Lake Energy Centre will once again serve as the venue for the community’s annual Remembrance Day ceremony, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 211 in partnership with 4 Wing.
This year's ceremony, scheduled for Nov. 11, will begin promptly at 10:45 a.m., with attendees encouraged to be seated by 10:30 a.m.
“The branch has been putting on a ceremony for the last 78 years, but only the last 10 years at the Energy Centre,” explains President Todd Rorke of Cold Lake Legion Branch 211.
The ceremony was previously held at the Cold Lake Seniors’ Centre, but as the number of attendees grew, it became clear a larger venue was needed.
“The Energy Centre gave us the opportunity to house a much larger gathering and being inside allowed the spectators to be comfortable and more likely to attend when the weather was bad,” Rorke says.
Rorke also spoke about the collaboration with Cold Lake 4 Wing, a partnership facilitated to enhance a sense of unity between the base and the community.
“Years ago, the base held their own ceremony in the JJ Parr. I felt this just wasn’t right, as the base is a large part of the community. So, I approached the Wing Commander back in 2014 or ‘15 and came up with the plan of adding their parade to our ceremony.”
This year’s ceremony will include remarks from both the Wing Commander and Rorke. “There are no real performances other than the bugler and piper playing the tunes of remembrance. The main tradition of our ceremony is the placing of the wreaths at the makeup cenotaph on the main floor,” says Rorke.
Reflecting on the tradition of the Cold Lake Legion, Rorke shares, “Just about every community conducts some form of a Remembrance Day Ceremony. Especially those communities that have a Legion as we are known as the 'Guardians of Remembrance,' and it is in our mandate to remember. There are veterans all over this country not just around the [military] bases. Being a military town is the main reason I convinced the base to participate in our ceremony rather than hold their own.”
As a final reminder, Rorke highlights that much of the funds raised locally from the annual poppy campaign stay within the community, providing support for local veterans, youth groups, and community projects.
Following the Nov. 11 ceremony, there will be an open house at the Legion, welcoming attendees to join in remembrance, though Rorke noted, “it does get quite crowded.”
