Eleven Eleven Eleven

Today we got this quarter handed to us at the bank. Good reminder. So tonight I'm just planning out where to go to commemorate Remembrance Day tomorrow. It seems to me that this year especially, Remembrance Day is "no big deal". As I pulled out a ten dollar bill this afternoon to see a bit of "Flanders Fields", I saw the words "Lest We Forget" along the edge and thought, "But we are forgetting!"

Everything is open tomorrow, not that just closing down stores and gas stations is enough to remember, but it's significant. It lets people know - you can take one day a year to be thankful...and remember those people. Instead there are just reduced hours, so that (it seems) people can just sleep in and then head out to do some grocery or window shopping, or go to a movie. I also just found out this past weekend, that the city of Toronto (I'm not sure about the rest of Ontario) hardly 'remembers' at all. They have just 2 minutes of silence at 11am. They all still go to work, school, etc. like a normal day with a 2 minute break. That's pretty pathetic if you ask me.

I was beginning to lose hope that people would take time to be thankful for the way so many just signed up and fought for freedom. It felt to me that no one was interested. No one had plans to spend the day in remembrance to these people of the past. I was thinking maybe I was more 'concerned' this year because we were in Europe recently; seeing some of the towns that would have been occupied, destroyed and rebuilt; visiting places like the Anne Frank House, seeing video footage of the horrors that happened, remembering our last visit to Dachau. Really terrible things. But then I remembered last year. And I remembered how I felt it every year. That our country stood up against it. That men and some really young men took the brunt of it. And their mothers, sisters, wives, etc, etc. felt the loss of it so sharply. The veterans who came home to return to normal lives with scarred minds and souls.

So I looked up the services in our city this year, and there is a lot of choices. I felt a bit better, but I still feel like we're getting a so far away from remembering. So I've listed them here (below). Perhaps you have time for a service today? Or maybe you'd like to take your kids to the aviation museum for the new exhibition? Or maybe you'd watch a movie to help remember? Here are some ideas. (I'd recommend 1, 6, 7 or 12). Maybe you'd like to read a book about it. If you're in Toronto, maybe you'd like to check out Don's Remembrance day show - "A Night to Honour" at Little Trinity Church.

But at least I hope you do something to remember.

Aboriginal Veterans' Memorial Service

10:30 AM Friday Nov. 7
181 Higgins Ave. Winnipeg, MB

This event is hosted by the Aboriginal Community Campus, in the Aboriginal Centre Rotunda...

Brandon Remembrance Day Service

10:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Main Arena, Keystone Centre, 1-1175 18th Street, Brandon

All are welcome to attend the annual Remembrance Day Service hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #3 in Brandon. The Salvation Army Band will play selections prior to the service. Please be seated by 10:20 a.m.

Winnipeg Remembrance Day Service

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Winnipeg Convention Centre, 375 York Avenue, Winnipeg

All are welcome to attend the annual Winnipeg Remembrance Day Service, hosted by the Joint Veterans' Association of Manitoba.

Valour Road Remembrance Service

10:45 AM
Corner of Valour Rd. & Sargent Ave.

This event is hosted by 38 Canadian Brigade Group. All are welcome to attend.

Royal Winnipeg Rifles Remembrance Day Service

10:30-11:30 AM
Vimy Ridge Memorial Park, Portage Avenue at Home Street, Winnipeg

All are welcome to attend a Remembrance Day Service at the memorial to the 44th Battalion of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles in Vimy Ridge Memorial Park.

Remembrance Day Service at HMCS Chippawa

10:15 AM - 12:00 PM
HMCS CHIPPAWA, 1 Navy Way, Winnipeg

The Commanding Officer and her crew of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship CHIPPAWA will pay tribute to the service and sacrifices made by men and women in uniform and in service to their country with a drumhead service on the drill deck in HMCS CHIPPAWA. All are welcome to attend. Please be seated by 10:15 a.m.

Royal Canadian Legion Branch #215 (Henderson Hwy) Remembrance Day Service

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Albright Church, 3600 de Vries Avenue, Winnipeg

All are welcome to attend the Henderson Hwy Legion's annual Remembrance Day Service, followed by a reception in the legion hall, at 3400 de Vries (beside Albright Church). Guests are asked to take their seats by 10:15 for a 10:50 a.m. start.

Minto Armoury Service

10:25 AM
969 St. Matthews Avenue

The Remembrance Day service at Minto Armoury is hosted by 38 Canadian Battle Group and is open to anyone who'd like to attend.

Aviation Museum Exhibit

1 PM - 5 PM
Building T-2, 958 Ferry Road

'Korea - the Forgotten War' opens on Nov. 11 at the Western Canada Aviation Museum. All are welcome.

University of Manitoba Remembrance Day Ceremony

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, November 10th
Brodie Centre Atrium, Bannatyne Campus, 727 McDermot Ave, Winnipeg

Staff, students and members of the community are invited to attend the university's Remembrance Day ceremony. The annual event pays tribute to University of Manitoba students, graduates, faculty and staff who have served their country during times of war and in peace-keeping operations. For those unable to attend in person, the ceremony will be webcast live on at umanitoba.ca beginning at 11:00am.

Deer Lodge Remembrance Service

2:15 PM
2109 Portage Avenue

Veterans and their families are welcome to attend this service in the Deer Lodge Centre