On Oct. 30, the Veterans’ Association in Lethbridge hosts its Annual Veterans Headstone Cleaning in preparation for Remembrance Day at the Mountain View Cemetery.
This year, members of the Canadian Armed Forces primary reservists will be joining Veterans to work shoulder-to-shoulder in cleaning and caring for the headstones of those who served the country.
The event is more than just cleaning headstones, it’s an act of remembrance, respect, and gratitude for the sacrifices made by generations of Canadian service members.
Having reservists alongside Veterans provides a meaningful opportunity to demonstrate the continued connection between those who have served and those who serve today.
Veterans’ Association Operations Coordinator Melinda Urquhart said a couple of years ago, the Veterans’ Association saw there was a need for the headstone cleaning through various aspects around the area.
“The Veterans’ Association took it upon ourselves to start doing this. It’s a form of remembrance, respect, and a passing the torch type thing by showing the younger generations with us why there’s a need for the honour and why there’s a need to go about and do this,” Urquhart noted.
Instead of on a parade square, or during a military exercise, participants work together in a cemetery honouring those who served before us, Urquhart added. “It’s a really powerful image and equally powerful message for everybody involved and also for the Lethbridge community, as a whole.”
According to Urquhart, all the fallen at Mountain View Cemetery and every single Veteran’s headstone will be taken care of.
“In the past, we started off with smaller numbers, and it was mostly just the Veterans that were going out and taking care of the areas,” Urquhart explained, with the number of participants in the cleaning.
“Now, we’re including the primary reservists because we do have them in Lethbridge. Just trying to make it bigger and better.”
Urquhart added when everyone works together to create that camaraderie between generations, a mutual ground of remembrance, honour, and respect can be reached. “It’s something we really wanted to do.”
“This year, we’re looking at making it a larger turnout than we have had in the past. We’re hoping to see how that goes. We’re going to have the primary reservists in their uniforms,” Urquhart noted. “For us Veterans, we’ll have our ball caps, toques, or something on us to signify we are Veterans. As a Veteran, it’s a little bit more humbling and kind of a deeper impact for those of us that have lost those along the way.
