(Lindsay Thurber Remembrance Day Ceremony 2018)

By Sheldon Spackman

Paying Respects

Lindsay Thurber set to host annual Remembrance Day Ceremony

Nov 5, 2019 | 12:51 PM

Over 2,000 students and community members are anticipated to attend the annual Remembrance Day Ceremony at Lindsay Thurber High School in Red Deer on Wednesday.

That, according to program chair Sharon Schultz who says they’ve been honouring veterans in a huge way at the school for roughly 20 years now.

“It’s become quite an incredible tradition and quite an hounour for our school to host such an event,” explains Schultz. “We have over 200 students that have been preparing, some even before the end of last school year. So our choir and our band and our motion media, we have our leadership, our grad exec, we have some Grade 9 volunteers who have never even seen our program that are anxious to become a part of it.”

Schultz says the 70-80 minute multi-media presentation begins at 1:00 p.m. with guests planning to attend requested to be there by 12:30 p.m.

In addition, Schultz says eight members of the 78^th Field Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery Reserve unit based out of Red Deer will also be in attendance, as well as 25-30 members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch # 35 in Red Deer.

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“And it’s open to the public,” she exclaims. “You will know from the minute you walk in the gym that this is a very, very special event. We of course are paying our respects to those that have fallen and to those still serving.”

However, one highlight of note according to Schultz is a recorded student interview with local veteran, 96-year-old Cpl. Frank Krepps Ret., who will also be in attendance.

“He was at Juno Beach last June to recognize the 75^th anniversary of the D-Day landings,” adds Schultz. “We’re extremely proud of what our school does.”

Ultimately, Schultz hopes those who attend come away with a greater sense of the respect our young people have for Canadian veterans.

“It’s really amazing that you can have a room full of that many people and that many young people, and there will be such respect and such silence when appropriate,” says Schultz. “We’re extremely proud of that and we’re extremely proud of the students who prepare for months with their music or their art or their singing to be part of this. We’re doing everything we can at a school level to ensure that young people are fully aware of what happened in the past and maybe bring some light into what we can keep going in the future.”

Meanwhile, a large number of other Red Deer Public Schools are also hosting Remembrance Day ceremonies on Nov. 6.

They include GH Dawe at 9:30 a.m., Gateway Christian at 9:45 a.m. and 10:35 a.m., and Fairview Elementary at 10:15 a.m.

Red Deer Public Schools with ceremonies starting at 10:30 a.m., include Aspen Heights Elementary, Mattie McCullough Elementary, Mountview Elementary, Normandeau and Westpark Middle School.

Schools with 10:45 a.m. ceremony start times, include Barrie WIlson Elementary, Don Campbell Elementary, Joseph Welsh Elementary, Oriole Park Elementary and Vista Grande.

Eastview Middle School, GW Smith Elementary and Hunting Hills High School will see their Remembrance Day ceremonies start at 11:00 a.m.

Elsewhere at Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools, Remembrance Day ceremonies will take place at the following times and locations:

École Camille J. Lerouge School – Thursday, November 7 at 10:30 a.m. in the gymnasium.

École Secondaire Notre Dame High School – Thursday, November 7 at 11:00 a.m. in the gymnasium. Sheldon Martin (Legion), Cst. Camille Stone (RCMP) and Cst. Dwayne Hanusich (RCMP) will be present.

Father Henri Voisin School – Thursday, November 7 at 10:30 a.m. in the gymnasium. Cp. Colin Hallam from Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry will be present.

Holy Family School – Thursday, November 7 at 10:30 a.m. in the gymnasium. Mr. VanGunst a retired Canadian Forces Veteran will be present.

Maryview School – Thursday, November 7 at 10:50 a.m. in the gymnasium.

St. Gregory the Great Catholic School – Thursday, November 7 at 11:00 a.m. in the gymnasium. Members from the Lacombe Legion will be present.

St. Francis of Assisi Middle School – Friday, November 8 at 10:45 a.m. in the gymnasium.

St. Martin de Porres School – Thursday, November 7 at 10:45 a.m. in the gymnasium. Talina and Gunner Gower from Army Reserves will be present.

St. Joseph High School – Thursday, November 7 at 11:00 a.m. in the main gymnasium
The Royal Canadian Armed Forces will be in attendance.

St. Gabriel Learning Centre – Thursday, November 7 at 11:00 a.m. in the learning centre.

St. Patrick’s Community School – Friday, November 8 at 10:40 a.m. in the gymnasium.

St. Teresa of Avila School – Thursday, November 7 at 11:00 a.m. in the gymnasium. Students involved in scouts, brownies or cadets will be dressed in uniform.