Shortly after Gina Rakochy, president of the Canora branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, laid a wreath at the cenotaph in the veterans’ section of the Canora Cemetery, Pastor Wilfred Michaels, padre of the Canora branch, spoke to those gathered for the June 11 Decoration Day ceremony of the importance of remembering those who have served.
Michaels said not only do citizens need to remember those who have gone before us, it is just as important to pay tribute to “those who have served and are still with us.” He said not only does service often leave veterans with physical wounds, it also forces them to deal with mental issues which are sometimes difficult to define.
Present at the ceremony was veteran Paul Fransishyn, who served from 1947 to 1967, in postings which took him across a large portion of Canada. Fransishyn accompanied Rakochy as she laid the wreath at the cenotaph.
Michaels asked veteran Chris Sokoloski to share his service experiences at the ceremony, and he spoke of his career which spanned from 1974 to 2006, and included tours of duty in Bosnia, Germany, Cyprus and Israel.
Jim Woodward, of Kamsack, zone commander, and Pat Thompson, Canora branch member, laid wreaths at the graves of veterans Margaret and Michael Gullason, a couple whose surviving family members are long-time Legion supporters.
Pastor Greg Bright led the singing of two favourite traditional hymns; Amazing Grace and ‘Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus.
In her role as president, Rakochy read the commemorating verse:
“They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them nor years condemn;
At the going down of the sun and in the morning.”
And the members of the Legion responded:
“We will remember them.”
