Remembrance Day Ceremonies took place at Barriere Secondary (BSS) on Friday, Nov. 9. Distinguished guests in attendance included Barriere Legion officer Vern Buker, Legion president Glenn Reid, 92-year-old Veteran Vern Wilson, Master Corporal Wayne Wohlgemuth, RCMP Barriere Detachment Cpl. Robert Welsman, and School District 73 vice-chair Rhonda Kershaw.
The Simpcw Drum Group opened the ceremony, with BSS Principal Paul Hembling also participating.
Veteran Vern Wilson, who served in Vietnam during the Second World War, spoke to those in attendance, saying it was heart warming to see that the terrible things that happened in war are not forgotten today, especially in the schools.
“I am so happy to see all the children out to see the ceremony,” said Wilson.
Then Master Cpl. Wolgemuth spoke at length regarding the history of war and conflicts around the world. He served in Bosnia in 1990, Afghanistan in 2008 as an Army medic, and then on a U.S. Navy ship in 2017 as part of a humanitarian mission. The Master Corporal is now a reservist in the Rocky Mountain Rangers and is also a paramedic with BC Ambulance.
“I am proud to serve our country as part of the Canadian Armed Forces,” said Wohlgemuth, “It is important to remember the great men and women who can never come home again. It is important to remember these conflicts.”
Principal Hembling said, “It is important to remember that our victories come at a very high cost. Assemblies such as this are held so that we do not forget.”
During a short showing of photographs from the wars Hembling said, “These pictures are horrific, but they also help us remember the brutality of what happened.”
The grade 7 class then presented an oral reading of the poem Remembrance Day.
Hembling then played The Last Post on his trumpet. One minute of silence was held to remember all those who had lost their lives in service, and then Hembling played Reveille to close the ceremony.