MEOTA — Although the results of the village election have been posted around Meota, some may still want to know who was successfully elected.
Many thanks to the outgoing Mayor David Konopelski for his years of great community service. Derek Welford has become the new mayor by acclamation. New Council members are as follows: Carole Chapman, Teresa Ducharme, Richard Rokosh, and Laurie Shury. Thanks to all those who let their name stand for council positions. Meota residents appreciate all the work that the council does for the village.
In other news, the community of Meota is preparing to have a Nurse Practitioner at the ‘Do Drop In’ once a week starting in February of 2025. The RM of Meota Health Clinic Committee is looking for a general contractor and sub-contractors to complete renovations to the 'Do Drop In’ by Jan. 31. Structural renovations to accommodate this change will begin after Dec. 8. The plan is to have a new wheelchair-accessible washroom, new drywall, paint and floors. This is an ambitious plan given that the goal is to have all the work completed by the end of January. The wheelchair-accessible ramp on the exterior of the building was completed just before the snow swept in.
The ice has begun to form on the lake, but it’s too early for ice fishing shacks to go out. I was able to go out Kayaking in November, and watching the geese was amazing. They’ve all left now and I'm sure they’ve inspired many Canadians to become snowbirds too. Thankfully Meota has groomed cross-country ski trails for those of us who appreciate the great outdoors, even in winter.
The community of Meota and the surrounding area came out en masse to participate in the Remembrance Day service at the Community Complex. Thanks to the many volunteers the service will be very memorable. It was especially heartwarming to see so many guests in uniforms that reminded us all of the brave military men and women that we were there to remember. Meota Community Complex has a replica of the Memorial Hill Cenotaph that is used every year on Remembrance Day. The names of those from this region, that never returned after the First and Second World Wars, were read out. We owe our freedom to those individuals and the thousands more from Canada who put their lives on the line to defend against the tyranny that had swept across Europe.
This year it was decided to show a video of the liberation of the Netherlands. It consisted of interviews with Canadian servicemen who bravely fought. They shared their personal experiences. Many of those servicemen and women are now 100 years old or older. It is heartwarming to know that someone has taken the time to produce a video of the military veterans who were instrumental in liberating Holland.
The service started with the playing of “The Last Post” followed by two minutes of silence. A reading “An Act of Remembrance – A Commitment to Remember" then was presented.
As a Remembrance Day service, it was delightfully uplifting to have all the young girls from Meota join together and sing “I Wish for Peace”. The performance made me think of how important it is that the act of remembering be carried on within our families and communities. This is certainly the case in Meota. In these uncertain times, the next generation needs to be taught how important Remembrance Day is, so the mistakes of the past won’t be repeated. Hearing stories from actual veterans will become less and less commonplace, and unfortunately Hollywood doesn’t always tell the real story. Actual footage and photographs cannot recreate the carnage of war. Often the words of the fallen say it best. The reading “In Flanders Fields the Poppies Grow” is such a powerful statement about life and death on the battlefields, and the graves remind us that our freedoms were secured by a very high price.
It’s unfortunate but very understandable that most of the servicemen, who had first-hand experience, were not very eager to share what horrors they saw. Parents who lost sons and daughters to the fight, often wouldn’t share the grief they bore. We now cling to symbols that remind us to remember. The Poppy has become that symbol and it’s so important to keep that tradition alive. The poem “Why Wear a Poppy?” tells of an old lady who is selling poppies. A young boy asks her “Why should we wear a poppy?” She then shares her first-hand experience with losing her son to the “terrible fight”.
Seven Wreaths were laid on behalf of various organizations: The Service wrapped up with the Lord’s Prayer and the audience being invited to the front to place their poppies on the helmet and emblematic table. Background music Amazing Grace played while practically the whole crowd came forward.
Remembrance Day has become one of the most important Canadian days of the year. It is such a privilege that we live in a community that takes it seriously and does a lot of planning to make it special. It was so nice that the community from Meota stepped up and made a soup and sandwich lunch that everyone appreciated.
A plate at the buffet table brought in donations and $683.05 that have been sent to the Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command in Regina. All the money raised will stay in Saskatchewan and will go toward Veterans Services.
Residents of Meota and the surrounding community know how important it is to keep the memories alive, Lest We Forget.
