In the spirit of the holiday season, Sarnia's Legion Branch 62 is expressing gratitude for community support received this year.
Parade Marshall Bill Chafe appeared before city council at its recent meeting to acknowledge support received to hold this year's Remembrance Day Service that marked the 100th anniversary of the end of World War 1.
Sarnia Remembrance Day service inside Sarnia Arena. November 11, 2018 (Photo by Sue Storr.)
"We're not here tonight to ask for anything, at least not this time," Chafe quipped. "Because we came to you and you responded and the community responded so overwhelmingly, we thought it only appropriate to come back to you and offer you a very sincere and heartfelt thank you."
A capacity crowd of over two thousand people filled Sarnia Arena for the November 11 service.
It was held indoors for the first time to eliminate any potential for the historic armistice anniversary to be hampered by bad weather and the city waived the fees.
"Once you gave us the approval, we reached out to many departments within the city and many other organizations and they all responded with overwhelming support," he said.
But, Chafe said it was the help from local students that really left its mark.
"One of the most important responses we got, was from St. Pat's high school. When they built a replica cenotaph and erected it in Sarnia Arena."
The exact replica of the Sarnia Cenotaph was carefully crafted by students under the watchful eye of their teacher Matt Abbott.