The Killarney Chapter of No Stone Left Alone held their annual Remembrance Day ceremony last week Friday, at the veteran section at the Brandon Cemetery with 700 students in attendance.  They were joined by approximately 50 soldiers from CFB Shilo and 26th Field Regiment Reserves to stand by the students throughout the ceremony.

Event Coordinator, Ryan Lawson, says it was a beautiful day for everyone, this being their 10th year of holding this special ceremony that is designed for students to participate.

"It is quite the site, especially when the soldiers lined up along the back and then when they all came marching in and spread out in different rows with all the students, a lot of the kids just couldn't take their eyes off the soldiers," shares Lawson. "It was pretty impressive to watch them as the soldiers came walking up to their classes."

This year's ceremony included an official opening of the ceremony with the bagpipes from a student from Vincent Massey. The Canadian Airforce performed a fly-by about 10 minutes into the ceremony, and the band teacher from Vincent Massey also played the Last Post.

Lawson says students from kindergarten to Grade 8 were in attendance and displayed the utmost respect for the soldiers amongst them.

"And then after the ceremony the soldiers went with the students and placed poppies on the graves, and I saw a few of them explaining things to the students," he adds. "It was just really neat to see!"

The goal for the No Stone Left Alone campaign is to have a poppy placed on every veteran's gravesite throughout Canada on Remembrance Day.  Lawson says the students were very keen to understand the significance of that.  He says the program helps children understand the importance of Remembrance Day, but also to carry the torch for the next generation to always remember, and to never forget those who gave their lives for our freedoms here in Canada.

"It really is quite amazing watching the children in the ceremony," shares Lawson. "Even during the minute of silence, how quiet it was. It was amazing to have 700 kids be that quiet for a minute of silence.  It's almost breathtaking."

Please listen to Ryan Lawson below as he shares more on last week Friday's ceremony.

(All photos submitted by Ryan Lawson of the November 3rd No Stone Left Alone ceremony) 

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