A candlelight tribute to honour local veterans will take place on Saturday, May 5, at Powell River Regional Cemetery in Cranberry. The annual event was started nine years ago by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 164, according to the organization’s secretary Karen Crashley.
The tribute has grown by word of mouth since that time to include many more veterans.
“We started this event in 2009 and at that time we knew of 99 veterans,” said Crashley. “This year 322 graves will be marked at the Cranberry cemetery and another 19 at Holy Cross Cemetery at Kelly Creek.”
In previous years, the event has been held to commemorate specific days of historical significance such the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which occurred April 9 to 12 during World War 1, and Victory in Europe Day (1945), which falls on May 8. However, this year’s observance is not specific to any war, according to Crashley. It recognizes anyone who has served, she added.
“It’s unfortunate because you see a lot of cars driving around town with veterans’ licence plates, but they’re not Legion members so they feel they’re excluded, but that’s not the point of it at all,” said Crashley. “This is any veteran who has served: RCMP, Canadian Forces, it’s not just wartime people. We have people up there from the Polish army, the Italian army; they served a country,” she said.
Canadian flags and special weatherproof candles will be placed beside the graves of Powell River service personnel at 3 pm on May 5. Veterans and cadets will parade and march into the cemetery and, following a short service and prayer, light the candles at the grave sites, which will burn for 24 hours. Veterans and their spouses will then return to the Legion for a dinner.
Crashley said members of the public are welcome to attend the ceremony or visit at any time to see the candle lit display.
“It’s a spectacular view when it gets dark,” she said.
For more information, call Royal Canadian Legion at 604.485.4870.
