For the first time since 2019, the community – the whole community will gather on Nov. 11 to remember.
Friday’s ceremony at the cenotaph in Ladner’s Memorial Park as well as at the Social Heart in North Delta will see a return to full in-person ceremonies.
I suspect that the cenotaph will be packed as residents of Delta pay their respects to our fallen.
This week online and in the pages of the Optimist, we have our annual special Remembrance Day section. The section is filled with stories and photos from our veterans and members of the community who shared their stories. We are grateful for all of their contributions.
We also have a very special story on our front page.
Padre Jim Short, whose amazing military service and service to our community has been chronicled numerous times in the Optimist, has fulfilled a promise made while serving in Afghanistan as chaplain, that the community of Delta will never forget Stephan John Stock.
Stock, who was killed in action in 2008, now forever has a place on Ladner’s cenotaph, alongside two other Delta war heroes Capt. D. Miles Selby and Trooper Percy Leonard Devereaux who were also added.
Short, alongside local historian Peter Broznitsky, have been working on this ‘missing names’ project for the past couple of years. Despite some roadblocks, they have persevered and now the families of these three veterans and the community will never forget the sacrifices that were made…sacrifices that all of us should be thankful for.
We live in an amazing country, province and community.
This Remembrance Day I will for sure be taking time out of my day to remember, reflect and thank all who serve and have served for our country.
