Remembrance Day 2019 – The Kemptville Cenotaph

It was a very cold day today (-7 degrees). I think this is the first time this season that the temperature has dropped below zero. I really should have worn much warmer winter boots today. Today is Remembrance Day and this morning I attended the North Grenville Remembrance Ceremony at the Kemptville Cenotaph. The Cenotaph is in front of the former North Grenville District High School (NDDHS). The Town of Kemptville has consistently been holding the Remembrance Day Ceremony here, and I believe that there is a registered easement that secures this spot on Remembrance Day for years to come. The ceremony has taken place here ever since I can remember. Each year, the ceremony gets bigger, and more attend; but is does not get longer. I have to commend the organizers for doing such a great job keeping the ceremony in good time, as I am sure it is appreciated by the elders, and despite temperatures reaching -40 degrees Celsius in the dead of winter, it feels so darn cold this time of year.
The ceremony commenced at 10:30 am with the parade leaving the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #212 located at 100 Reuben Crescent and marching down to the Cenotaph. It is a short walk and with good reason. There has been talk about moving the Cenotaph up to Veterans Way by the North Grenville Municipal Center but asking veterans to walk all the way from Reuben Crescent to the Municipal Centre is a big ask. So, this is where the ceremony stays for now. I parked behind the Lofts of Market Row where I currently hold a property listing. There is a ton of parking in Downtown Kemptville if you don’t mind a very short walk. A common misconception is that there is not enough parking, but there are probably 100 hundred spots by Riverside Park, there is on street parking, parking in the former NGDHS parking log, side street parking; my point is that parking is not a problem. Sometimes getting a prime parking spot in front of the exact store you like to visit is, but overall it is not a problem.
There were two additions to the ceremony: (1) the knitted poppy display at Rotary Park, led by Branda Ward, and (2) the North Grenville Concert Choir performing “In Flanders Fields” in song, led by Philip Konopka. Both were gorgeous additions and very well done.

I can not get over how beautiful the poppy display was, and I am very much looking forward to seeing it grow year after year! Just look at how gorgeous this is! I wish I could knit, because if I could I would be honoured to contribute to this incredibly awesome community project.
If this beautiful display inspires you, and you can knit, the pattern link can be found here: Poppy Pattern Link, which is being coordinated under Fibre Extravaganza, another community event put on by Brenda. If you have never attended Fibre Extravaganza, I encourage you to do so. This is a unique event focused on fibres and creating. https://www.fibreextravaganza.com/.

All this talk about how beautiful the ceremony was, I forgot how cold it was. Despite my warm winter jacket, hat, hood, and pretty boots, during the moment of silence my toes started to ache! Oh my, I felt silly bounding up and down while everyone was completely still, but it didn’t take long for others to feel what I was feeling. Red ears and fingertips and tapping toes were easy to spot. All the while the ceremony participants stood completely still.

This reminded me so vividly of my father who was military. I remember feeling so sad for the men standing completely still during the ceremony, which then makes me think about what those people must have endured during the war. I tell myself to suck it up, and stand still out of respect for the dead, the veterans, and everyone who gathered on this cold day.

Remembrance Day is just one day, and just one hour to remember and honour the peace that we Canadians enjoy every day; and then we just simply go about our lives.
Thank you to everyone who puts on this ceremony and those who participate in it. It’s not easy standing there for an hour or an hour and a half, but it isn’t much time compared to what was sacrificed during the war.

Before the ceremony I grabbed a selfie with the beautiful poppy display and after the ceremony I took off to Tim Hortons for a warm coffee, yum! Back to the home office for more admin fun.

I hope you have enjoyed this Blog post. My name is Krista George and I am a REALTOR® with Worldcrest Realty Inc. in the Kemptville, North Grenville, Ontario area.
I have lived, worked and played in this area since 1992. I take a lot of pride in my community and knowing the lay of the land. If there is anything I can do to help you buy or sell in this area I encourage you to reach out.
I am active on Facebook, and I hope you will follow me there.
(https://www.facebook.com/KristaGeorgeRealEstate/
You can also contact me via my website: https://kristageorge.com/contact/
Keep it local friends!
Krista

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