Brockville Rifles stand in solidarity with Royal Brock residents for Remembrance Day ceremony
While the city of Brockville held a small Remembrance Day ceremony downtown on Thursday, another ceremony also took place at Royal Brock Retirement Living in the city's centre.
"it's really important to us to remember our veterans and any other military members who are still in service, so we put together a ceremony today just to say thank you," said Jessica Bennett, activities director at Royal Brock Retirement.
Approximately 35 reserve soldiers from the Brockville Rifles attended the ceremony, a chance to connect with veterans and other military members safely from outside.
"It's a chance for us to make sure that they understand that we haven't forgotten and there is a connection between what they did, what's happening today and where we are going in the future," said Major Stephen Giberson.
Standing in solidarity, through a bitter cold wind, Maj. Giberson said there is no comparison for what those brave men and women had to go through in years past.
"I tell you not a Rifle even thinks of it," Maj. Giberson said. "We would not be anywhere else today other than be somewhere where we can make an act of remembrance."
The ceremony lasted just over 30 minutes and residents were able to see the soldiers outside.
"It's very important for them," said Bennett. "Something from my generation, I feel like we don't always stop to take the time out of our day to say thank you, and they lived through it, so it's important that they see that we remember those things about them."
"Even when they are gone they are not going to be forgotten," she added.
The Royal Brock and neighbouring Royal Suites have held their own Remembrance Day ceremony since 2017.
After this year's ceremony, soldiers got the chance to talk with some of the 12 veterans who live there from a distance under the front awning.
Like Max Farrelly, who was in the supplementary reserves for 17 years and trained for the Korean War, but never got called to active duty.
"It's nice to be recognized," Farrelly said. "I like to remember my own family and my father being in the Battle of Somme and all that kind of stuff. My brother was in the RCF in the Second World War."
Serving the country, a family affair, remembering his father's time in the First World War.
"He didn't have to get down in the trenches so as much as the guys did, but he was out there in the middle of the night laying heavy wire," Farrelly said. "I don't need remembering myself so much because I never actually got into the battle, but some people like my father in the Battle of Somme, he got shot at."
Maj. Giberson and his unit is glad they could connect with residents, adding the Rifles wouldn't be anywhere else on Nov. 11.
"Thank you for the opportunity, and Lest We Forget," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Moe 'will respond' to CRA, insists Saskatchewan has 'paid in full' amid carbon tax audit
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says his government 'will respond' to the Canada Revenue Agency when it concludes its audit of the province, but that his position is Saskatchewan doesn't owe Ottawa any money.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
BREAKING Hosting Vancouver's FIFA World Cup games could cost half a billion dollars
Hosting seven games in Vancouver during the 2026 FIFA World Cup could cost more than half a billion dollars, according to an updated estimate provided Tuesday.
Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'
The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.