Hundreds ignore the steady rain to pay tribute to Canada’s fallen and those who served
With umbrellas in hand, hundreds gathered around the Woodstock war monument on Main Street Monday Morning, Nov. 11, to pay tribute to those who served their country in uniform.
Gwen Rideout carried a special umbrella decorated with an image of a poppy as she arrived at the monument in front of the Woodstock courthouse.
She explained that her parents brought the umbrella home from Vimy Ridge, where they attended ceremonies as part of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Rideout explained her parents are both gone, but she proudly carries it in their memory.
She said seeing so many turnout for the Woodstock Remembrance Day event was great. She is pleased to see the large crowd in recent years, noting the importance of remembering our veterans’ sacrifice.
The McKinley family made the Remembrance ceremony a family event. The Woodstock couple, William and Rebecca, brought their children William, Jr., Lyla and Grace to the service.
Rebecca said it’s something they wanted to do together as a family.
The 2024 ceremony faced a short delay as a cadet member of the colour party collapsed in the minutes leading up to the 11th hour.
The young man hit his head on the curb or pavement as he fell. Medics attending the ceremony responded immediately, treating and comforting the young man until the ambulance arrived to transport him to the hospital.
The cadet was alert and responding to paramedics as they loaded the stretcher into the ambulance.
The ceremony began upon the ambulance’s departure.
The clouds parted to allow the sun to shine during the laying of wreaths, starting with Silver Cross Mother Shirley Isenor.
Woodstock Mayor Trina Jones and Woodstock-Carleton MLA Bill Hogan laid wreaths for the municipality and province, respectively. Aaron Bouma, who operates the Carleton County Military Museum, laid a wreath on behalf of the federal government at the request of Tobique-Mactaquac MP Richard Bragdon.
The ceremony included several wreaths from the Canadian Armed Forces, the local cadets, the Royal Canadian Legion, the ANAVETs, local police forces, Ambulance New Brunswick, The Woodstock Fire Department, the WFD Ladies Auxiliary, Wotstak First Nation and other groups and organizations.
