Tens of thousands of students in School District 43 (SD43) paid tribute this morning, Nov. 9, to veterans who served in the two world wars, as well as the Korean, Gulf and Afghanistan wars.
The Remembrance services held in elementary, middle and secondary schools across the Tri-Cities saw vets, peacekeepers, legion members, first responders and cadets march in unison to honour the fallen.
At Port Moody Secondary, social studies teacher Cam Fraser organized the high school's two services before about 400 students each — many of whom wore poppies on their shirts as a sign of respect.
Emceed by students Vanecia Lai and Hermione Durand, the sombre event included a rotation of images projected onto a screen that showed photos of relatives of school staff members who had served, including Fraser's grandfather, a prisoner in Hong Kong during the World War II.
Music teacher Mike Luniw led the school choir — which was dressed in black with blue ties, a nod to the school's colour — in a rendition of "Amazing Grace" — before Cassandra Feltrin and Damilare Kola-Ilesanmi read out Remembrance poems, the latter a translation from an Indigenous author.
The senior concert band also played an arrangement of "Salvation is Created" before bugler Hannah Kim performed the "Last Post" followed by a minute of silence.
Piper Liam Boyle of SFU's Robert Malcolm Memorial Band played a lament before Lai laid a wreath on a stand on behalf of the school.
Lest we forget
For the public, local legion branches will lead Remembrance Day services in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody starting at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11 (check websites for updates and road closures):
- Coquitlam: Blue Mountain Park (975 King Albert Ave.)
- Visit rclegion263.ca
- Port Coquitlam: Veterans Park (in front of city hall, 2580 Shaughnessy St.)
- Visit pocolegion.ca
- Port Moody: Legion 119 branch (2529 Clarke St.)
- Visit portmoody.ca
