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| Garden Terrace residents gather for Remembrance Day ceremonies yesterday. |
Remembrance Day
Garden Terrace residents remember the fallen
of war
Wednesday November 12, 2003 Roderick Benns
With memories of war etched uneasily into their minds, residents of Garden
Terrace remembered the sacrifices made by veterans during a moment of silence
yesterday at the Kanata-area long-term care home.
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month,
Administrator Karl Samuelson's voice could be heard over the PA system,
reciting Flander's Fields written by Canadian soldier John McCrae. "We
have the policy at Garden Terrace of not doing home-wide announcements,"
says Karl, other than for emergencies.
"But we decided that on this important day, we will always
make that exception."
After Karl read the poem, he said there was a great response
as he walked through the hallways of the home. "Residents appreciated
the message of that poem -- it's so well-loved," he notes.
Karl says there are many reasons to remember this day with
ceremony, not the least of which is so that the importance of peace is
not underestimated. "Just as we were great in war, we must be great
in peace."
The administrator says most residents and many staff members
will have been touched by the war in some way. "Everyone has a connection
of some kind. Perhaps as a child or through a loved one. In some way there
is a connection to the wars that have gone on in our history," says
Karl.
Later, at 2 p.m., an hour-long ceremony was held at the home
to remember fallen war heroes. Karl says it was "very well attended
with residents, family and staff."
"Our life enrichment staff was very involved and (Life
Enrichment Co-ordinator) Jeff Bedley played Taps on the keyboard,"
says Karl.
At the afternoon ceremony, Karl says he recited a different
poem by McCrae:
Disarmament
One spake amid the nations, "Let us cease
From darkening with strife the fair world's light,
We who are great in war be great in peace.
No longer let us plead the cause by might."
But from a million British graves took birth
A silent voice - the million spake as one -
"If ye have righted all the wrongs of earth
Lay by the sword! Its work and ours is done."
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| In an effort to bring
you independent news about the OMNI community, this
story was prepared by a third party news provider,
Axiom
News Services. It has not been subject
to prior editorial approval by OMNI Health Care. |
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In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the
crosses, row on row That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still
bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn,
saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
John McCrae, the author of Flander's Fields, was
a Canadian physician who fought on the Western Front in 1914, but was
then transferred to the medical corps and assigned to a hospital in France.
He died of pneumonia while on active duty in 1918.
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