Planning for Remembrance Day has been a rollercoaster.

Initially, Bill Richards with the Steinbach Legion says they were hoping to hold a 50-person ceremony at the Legion building. Then they reduced that number to 24 and unfortunately, due to tightening restrictions, Richards says those plans have also been scrapped.

"We had to make the tough decision to not cancel the Legion Remembrance Day ceremony but we had to reduce it considerably. After a lengthy discussion and anguish, I’ll be honest with you, Bottom line is we are going to continue with the Remembrance Day service on November 11 here at the Legion Hall but it will be a virtual online service consisting of 10 individuals."

Richards says it was an incredibly tough decision because the annual Remembrance Day ceremony has tremendous meaning for many veterans and their families. He notes the following the virtual online ceremony, a handful of Legion members will lay a wreath at the Steinbach Cenotaph at the corner of Main and Reimer. He notes the public can then wander by and pay respects on their own time.

Richards adds this is the last year that the Steinbach Legion will be run out of their current building and they were also hoping to give it one last send-off with the ceremony this year.

(Photo submitted by Natalie Batkis) Remembrance Day in Niverille 2019In Niverville, the planning committee has decided to cancel this year's Remembrance Day Service. Organizer Natalie Batkis says they normally see between 600 and 800 participants at their annual ceremony but with the restrictions this year, they didn’t feel they could do Remembrance Day justice. She notes they will be back next year stronger than ever.

In the meantime, Batkis encourages residents to take some time out of their day on Wednesday for a collective moment of silence.

"Wherever you are, whether you are working from home, or you are working at work, or you are at home with your kids really take a minute or two that day to just remember what that day means and how significant it is that so many people have made sacrifices for us here in Canada and around the world so that we can live freely and safely and I think more than ever this year we are understanding what it is to make sacrifices for others."

Despite there not be any big in-person ceremonies to attend in the Southeast, Richards says this is the year of a big anniversary.

"It’s the 75th anniversary of the ending of the second world war. May 8th, 1945 was victory in Europe and of course subsequently VJ day with the victory in Japan and so we need to really remember the sacrifice of our veterans past and present of course but particularly those who served in the second world war that still survive to this day. It is vital that this Remembrance Day be immortalized as much as possible by the Canadian public."