Veterans’ headstones in Vernon’s Pleasant Valley Cemetery have been adorned with poppies.
The Vernon and District Family History Society, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 Vernon and the British Columbia Dragoons escorted Grade 11 students from Yvonne Fiala’s classes at W.L. Seaton Secondary and assisted the students in the placement of poppies on each grave of a veteran.
The students stated the name of the veteran on the headstone and placed the poppy.
The special ceremony was part of the sixth annual commemoration ceremonies for the No Stone Left Alone Memorial Foundation, which recognizes the sacrifices of the Canadian military and places a poppy – the symbol of remembrance – on every headstone.
“Our main goals are to educate and engage the next generation, as well as to help raise awareness and fund for our Canadian veterans, serving soldiers and their families,” states the foundation.
The ceremony at the cemetery included a presentation by the local Legion with some history on a select First World War personnel, a bit of military perspective and the history of the Remembrance service and poppy.
Fiala and Lawra Myers from the Vernon and District Family History Society laid a wreath in memory of the veterans.
