Residents gathered at the Stettler Performing Arts Centre on Tuesday morning to honour Canada’s fallen soldiers, veterans and those still serving during the town’s annual Remembrance Day service.
The event began with opening remarks from Pastor Ross Helgeton, who welcomed veterans, and community members before sharing a story about Canada’s veterans’ organizations.
He recalled officiating a funeral earlier this year for a local veteran & being encouraged to reach out to the Legion’s Last Post Fund, which assists with funeral costs & support for veterans’ families.
“I don’t know that I have ever been treated with more grace and kindness,” Helgeton said. “They treated the family with such compassion. It was my first experience with the organization, and it left a lasting impression.”
Helgeton reflected on the 80 years since the Second World War & over 100 years since the end of WW1.
He noted that attendance at Remembrance Day ceremonies across Canada continues to rise, especially among younger generations.
“Recent polls show that interest is growing,” he said. “In fact, participation is higher now than it was before the pandemic. That’s encouraging to see.”
Helgeton compared the ceremony’s wreaths to the stones the Israelites once set as a memorial, saying both serve to ensure future generations remember acts of sacrifice.
“We’re not piling up stones,” he said, “but we are commemorating, we are remembering.”
The service continued with the laying of dozens of wreaths on behalf of families, schools, veterans’ groups & governments.
Guest speaker Mark Meincke delivered a personal address on his own service & what it means to be a veteran.
Meincke served in the infantry & completed a United Nations tour in Croatia in 1994, during the Balkan conflict.
He described the often-overlooked Battle of Medak Pocket, fought a year before his deployment, as “the biggest battle since Korea,” in which Canadian soldiers stood firm against Croatian forces intent on carrying out ethnic cleansing.
“The Canadians dug in,” he said. “They fought for four days for people they had never met, and they held the line.”
Meincke also spoke of the lasting toll of war, recounting the loss of friends to both combat and suicide.
His experiences led him to create Operation Tango Romeo, now the world’s largest veteran-hosted trauma recovery podcast, reaching listeners in more than 95 countries.
As the ceremony concluded, Pastor Helgeton led a closing prayer, urging those gathered to continue seeking peace, both globally and within their own lives.
“Freedom and peace were bought at a high price,” he said. “We must continue to remember, continue to appreciate, and do our part to keep that peace alive.”
Author: Landin Chambers
Landin Chambers is a news reporter for Hometown Media Stettler. He has a background in broadcast news, with previous roles in Prince George, Red Deer and Calgary. You may also see him as a cameraman for the Stettler Wildcats and Stettler Imperials. Have a story idea? Email: lchambers@htproductionsmedia.ca
