Local legion members and Squamish air cadets placed a Canadian Flag and a poppy at the gravesites of local veterans at the Mt. Garibaldi Cemetery.
The solemn ceremony to honour and remember the veterans was attended by legion members and local citizens.
Although the local legion honours the veterans by placing flags and poppies every year, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 277 decided to invite the cadets from 835 Griffin Squadron to conduct the ceremony for the 43 veterans resting in the cemetery.
Legion member Ken Ward said he had been working for the last two years to collaborate with the air cadets for this ceremony.
“The legion has done this for last five to six years but we wanted the air cadets to come and honour the veterans who are no longer with us. It seems to be a great collaboration with the young and old members of the community,” he said.
Amanda Gray, Deputy Commanding Office from 835 Griffin Squadron, said 10 cadets were present in the ceremony to honour the veterans.
“I thought this was a great experience for the cadets to know how many fallen soldiers there are from Squamish and to pay our respect for those who rest here,” she said.
Legion member Russ Robertson, expected to become the next legion president, said the ceremony was a great way for the young cadets to learn more about the veterans from Squamish.
“The people resting here fought in World War 1 and World War 2 and in many cases they are the founding people of Squamish. It is important for our youth to know this history,” he said.
Teo Verdicchio, a cadet liaison with the 835 Griffin Squadron, said the ceremony would enable the cadets to put a name to the people who have sacrificed their lives.
“In the future, they will take this ceremony and make it their own under the watchful eye of the legion,” he said.
Betty Adamson says
Thankyou Gagandeep: this article is a fine example of the need to keep our community culture and history available to the 21st century residents of Squamish.