Southampton Legion’s annual Remembrance Day parade will not take place this year amid COVID-19 restrictions and there will also be no public event at the Cenotaph.
Instead, only a handful of people will be on hand at the cenotaph for a much smaller pared down ceremony, as the Southampton Legion encourages the public not to attend.
The Remembrance dinner at the Southampton Legion hall typically held on Remembrance Day also won’t be happening this year.
It’s definitely disheartening,” says Mike Jukes, President of Southampton Legion Branch 155, “but we have to follow the rules like everyone else.”
Wreaths will be pre-placed at the Cenotaph prior to the event and people wishing to lay their wreaths individually can do so after the ceremony. If you would like to have your wreath set aside contact Stewart Shular at 519-797-3956. The Legion will be happy to collect the wreaths late afternoon and place them back into safe storage for future use.
Wreath donations are $75.00 for the 20” version, $50.00 for the 14” version, and $30.00 for the 8” version. Cheques must be made out to ‘Southampton Legion Poppy Fund’ and forwarded to the Southampton Legion, 13 Grosvenor St. N. Southampton N0H 2L0 … c/o Stewart Shular.
“It is still very important to mark the day and we are very hopeful and invite people to participate in other ways,” adds Juke. “Wearing poppies and recognizing two minutes of silence at 11:00 a.m. on November 11th or watching ceremonies on TV or online are all ways we can honour our veterans.”
There are quite a few things related to Remembrance locally and specifically:
“Learn More about Poppy Donations” at southamptonlegion.ca.
Saugeen Times Local Community News presenting “Lives Behind the Commemorative Banners” at www.saugeentimes.com
Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre will be producing a 40 minute presentation Thursday November 5 at 3 p.m. on “Facebook Live.”
On November 11th, the Southampton Anglican Church Service on the Regional Ministry of Saugeen Shores, Tara and Chatsworth Facebook Page and YouTube channel available on their website www.besteveranglicans.com.
On November 11th, the Southport Church will be streaming the Port Elgin Legion Service on www.youtube.com/southportchurch or Facebook@southport.church or www.myfamily.church.
On Nov.11 the Owen Sound Legion ceremony will also be broadcast on the local Rodgers television station and the city plans to livestream it on their Facebook page.
The Southampton Legion will be open at 11:30 on November 11th, keeping in mind we are restricted to 50 people.
We thank our community and all the Southampton businesses for their continued support throughout the years.
We Will Remember Them!
