Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Students gave their respects by marking the headstones of every veteran buried in Jasper Cemetery with a poppy on Nov. 5.
Officially launched in 2011, No Stone Left Alone is a national organization dedicated to honouring the sacrifice and service of Canada鈥檚 military by educating students and placing poppies on the headstones of veterans every November.
Dozens of students from 脡cole Desrochers and Jasper Junior/Senior High School attend this year鈥檚 local ceremony.
After the land acknowledgement and 鈥淥 Canada,鈥� Jasper Royal Canadian Legion sergeant-at-arms, D.J. (Klem) Klymchuk, read a message from Maureen Bianchini-Purvis, No Stone Left Alone Foundation founder and president.
鈥淣o Stone Left Alone continues to evolve, yet one thing remains constant, the importance of Remembrance, not just for a day, but a commitment that we will hold it in our hearts everyday and by our actions and acknowledge of how important it is for our future,鈥� Bianchini-Purvis stated in her message.
鈥淪ome of you are experienced with this somber event, but to those who are new here today, I welcome you to open your heart, look around and be grateful. They are the reason we have choices, our voices heard and the privileges and freedom that come with that.鈥�
Mayor Richard Ireland gave an address where he asked students to imagine young soldiers just older than them living in trenches for months on end.
鈥淚t is inconceivable and here we stand on a beautiful, mild fall day in Jasper and do our best to pay respects,鈥� Ireland said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an important task of remembrance. We owe them for their service, and we honour and respect them by placing a poppy.鈥�
Rev. David Prowse gave a short address and read the Prayer of Remembrance in English, with former municipal councillor Bert Journault providing the prayer in French.
Students then read the Commitment to Remember, and the Act of Remembrance was read by Prowse in English and Journault in French.
After The Last Post, a wreath was laid at the grave of veteran James Robinson, who died in 1941, and a student provided a reading of 鈥淚n Flanders Fields.鈥�
Students then went to lay poppies at the graves.
