Shortly before the eleventh hour on the 11th day of November 2023, well over 150 people gathered at the cenotaph in Chesterville to remember those who gave so much. See page 6 for the full story. Tinkess Photo
CHESTERVILLE – Almost on cue, the sun, which had been shining brightly, dipped behind a cloud at almost the same time as the lone piper led a procession including a colour party from a nearby gathering point to their final position, in front of the various monuments that are grouped together along the waterfront.
The ceremony, led by Steven Grubb, president of the Chesterville Legion, was probably not unlike every other Remembrance Day ceremony taking place across Canada, except perhaps in that the number of people in attendance and the number of wreaths laid seemed to be high when you consider the community’s population. If you were to poll those in attendance, you would probably find that many, if not most had some knowledge of or direct connection to the individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice, or at the very least, to their family. Chesterville has a long history of answering the call.
At the completion of the ceremony, the procession which had marched to the cenotaph turned and marched away. Everyone was welcomed to attend a reception at the Chesterville Legion where they could enjoy a bite to eat, a bit of comraderie and the freedom that so many sacrificed everything to protect.
Terry Tinkess is a professional photographer, educator and journalist. He has been making a living with a camera and keyboard since 1999 and has been featured in such publications as The Ottawa Citizen, Cornwall Standard Freeholder, The Globe and Mail, The Miami Herald, Ottawa Construction News, The Ontario Construction Report, Ontario Home Builder Magazine, Reed Construction Data, Canadian Potato Business and most recently, The Record and Eastern Ontario AgriNews. Terry lives in Ingleside, Ontario with his wife Brenda, Mia the anxious Pittie and cats Wally and Chubbers.
