Through research by Cemetery Committee members and information from family members, St Luke, Cedar Hill has found that at least 161 veterans are buried or commemorated in its cemetery.
Each November, we hold several events to honour these veterans and we invite the community to take part in these events. Prior to our Service of Remembrance, remembrance pots containing sprigs of rosemary, a Canadian flag and a poppy cross were assembled by children and adults attending the Nov. 3 Fantastic Friday.
On Nov. 5, we held our Service of Remembrance. After a short ceremony in the church to honour our saints for All Saints’ Day, we moved outside to the cemetery. The rain held off and we were blessed with a relatively warm day as we paid tribute to the 161 veterans resting or commemorated in St Luke’s cemetery by reading out their names.
On Nov. 10, Grade 8 students from Cedar Hill Middle School came to pay their respects by placing painted poppy rocks on the veterans’ graves. They participated as part of the No Stone Left Alone Program (www.nostoneleftalone.ca), a national program to remember the service and sacrifice of Canada’s military by educating and inspiring youth to place poppies on veterans’ headstones.
These events recognized and honoured the veterans in St Luke’s Cemetery as well as strengthening community connections with Cedar Hill Middle School and with family members of veterans who live in the Victoria area.
