Markham Remembrance Week events honour veterans amid Stage 2 restrictions

City of Markham and Markham District Veterans Association adjust protocols, procedures

Yorekregion.com
November 3, 2020
Heidi Riedner

Remembrance Day events will be much different this year during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the City of Markham and the Markham District Veterans Association (MDVA) are finding ways even within modified Stage 2 restrictions to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

While the MDVA will not be holding its usual services, parades and social gathering, it will observe Remembrance Week beginning Nov. 7 with five unattended wreath-layings at the cenotaph at Veterans Square.

“The MDVA and the city had to adjust the protocols and procedures this year for all events,” explained MDVA 2020 parade marshal Gary Bowerman.

“We welcome the many groups that have participated in past Remembrance services and members of the general public to visit Veterans Square during Remembrance Week to place a poppy on the wreaths.”

There are also 56 banners honouring veterans from the Markham area on both sides of Main Street Markham for residents and visitors to see.

At the program unveiling last November, town crier John Webster said the banners are a tangible reminder to remember, to honour and to say thank you to those who have, and to those who are still, serving.

"These banners command our attention and demand that our heroes are in the forefront of our thoughts as we honour and remember their selfless duty," he said.

“Peace, order, good government and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms are not free, but have been paid for by our veterans."

Each banner features a local veteran, including both former and active service members. All service personnel, whether they served in the First World War, Second World War, Korea, peacekeeping missions or Afghanistan, or are still in active service, qualify to be honoured with these banners. They include a veteran’s photograph, their Allied flag, their service position and their era of service, as well as the banner's sponsors.

Meanwhile, this year’s poppy campaign is not as visible as in past years, as only a handful of people are selling them in select locations in different communities.

There won’t be a table at Markville Mall this year, for example.

Instead, donation boxes are in stores, but with restaurants and other businesses closed during pandemic restrictions, there are fewer of those as well.

Crystal Cook -- who is the district commander for an area of Royal Canadian Legion branches that includes Stouffville, Richmond Hill and Mount Albert -- is pleading with the public to support this year’s poppy campaign, which is the largest annual fundraiser for veterans and their families.

“Not being able to do a lot of our traditional ways of getting those donations, my fear is that the donations are going to be down,” she said.

“We’re just hoping that the public will be a little bit more generous this year. They’ve always been generous, but we’re really counting on the communities to come and support us because this is our main way of supporting our veterans for the year.”

While income from poppy campaigns can fluctuate from year to year, Cook said as much as $400,000 a year is normally raised in York Region.

This year’s muted observance of Remembrance Day is difficult for veterans, but Cook said she’s optimistic that communities will rally around them.

“It’s very hard because this is the time of year that is extremely special for them. To not be able to be there is very difficult for them,” she said.

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti said the community can still come together while apart.

"It is our duty to ensure the stories of our heroes are never forgotten," he said.