Thousands of Central Albertans will pay their respects this week as they remember Canadian soldiers who died while serving their country.
Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School’s program includes over 200 students involved in a multi-media presentation (Tuesday). The event starts at 1 p.m. The public is asked to arrive by 12:30 p.m. for seating. There is reserve parking in front of the school for guests and a reception will follow.
Other students across Central Alberta are participating in various events in their schools prior to Friday’s Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Red Deer has two ceremonies on Nov. 11 — one downtown at Veterans’ Park and one at CrossRoads Church. Both events start at 10:30 a.m.
The larger ceremony, hosted by the Red Deer Legion, will be held at CrossRoads Church, which is just outside the west edge of the city off 32nd Street (3105 Range Road 275). The ceremony has been relocated for the next two years because the old Downtown Arena has been torn down, and a new one is under construction at that location.
The City of Red Deer says free transit to CrossRoads Church is available that day from Sorensen Station every 15 minutes from 9 a.m. with the last bus leaving Sorensen Station at 10:15 a.m. The bus will also pick up at the former Red Deer Arena en route to CrossRoads. Buses will depart CrossRoads Church following the ceremony and will continue until demand is over.
The other ceremony in Red Deer, hosted by the Korean War Veteran’s Association, is at Veterans’ Park where the cenotaph is located at 49th Avenue and Ross Street.
Action Buses, for people who cannot use regular transit, may be booked up until Wednesday to go to either CrossRoads Church or Veterans’ Park.
For the first time, Penhold will hold a ceremony but it will be on Nov. 10. It starts at 7 p.m. at the town’s Multiplex.
Sylvan Lake’s ceremony is on Nov. 11, starting at 10:30 a.m. at that community’s Multiplex.
Lacombe will hold its ceremony on Nov. 11 at 10:45 a.m. at Lacombe Memorial Centre. There will be a community breakfast at the Lacombe Legion from 8 to 10 a.m. (cash donation at the door).
The ceremony in Innisfail on Nov. 11 will begin at 9:45 a.m. in the Auditorium. At 10:45 a.m., community members are invited to assemble at the town’s Cenotaph for a wreath laying ceremony, and a two-minute silence at 11 a.m.
Blackfalds will hold its Nov. 11 ceremony at the Abbey Centre. It runs from 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
barr@www.reddeeradvocate.com