Remembrance week.

Drew Watson

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Salt Spring Island, BC Canada
I know that this has nothing to do with wood working but it is rememberance week and I have watched this as a family tradition with my sons in honor of all those that have, are and will serve to protect our freedoms. Just thought I would share it with my extended family. Read the story and them watch the clip. Very moving.


On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a drug store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the stores PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.

Terry was impressed with the stores leadership role in adopting the Legions two minutes of silence initiative. He felt that the stores contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.

When eleven oclock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the two minutes of silence to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.

Terrys anger towards the father for trying to engage the stores clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, A Pittance of Time. Terry later recorded A Pittance of Time and included it on his full-length music CD, The Power of the Dream.

Thank You to the Royal Canadian Legion Todmorden Branch #10 and Woodbine Height Branch #2 for their participation in the Video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlrrAWCTRg
 
Thanks Drew.

You don't know what it means to us that have served in combat, It changes you for ever. I was one of the fortunate ones that didn't have to fire a shot nor was I fired upon but I did see some of the ravages of war & it's not pretty. I was told by older vet's if you don't have to don't look at the human's destroyed by war because once you've seen it you will never forget it, I made it a point to not look. I did see shot up trucks & other vehicles. I had friends that were going to go see some of what they shouldn't have to remember & I passed on the wisdom that was given me & they changed their minds & didn't go looking.

Even for all that it still changes you for ever.

24th Infantry Mechanized we slammed the back door on Iraq's Army.

We landed at Hunter Army Air Field & as we received a Police escort from the base & through Savanna to the highway Going to Ft. Stewart all I could think of was how out Viet Nam Vet's were treated.

This is what they played as we walked in mass across the ball field after we arrived at Ft. Stewart. Every time I hear it it chokes me up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNqUORIFV4I

I don't even have words to express what it meant to come back & set foot on United States soil again.
 
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Thanks for posting this, Drew. :thumb: And thanks also to all of you who have served.

Bart, I agree with you...the reception for returning servicemen and women coming from Viet Nam was appalling, and I'm glad to see things are different now.
 
I really like the idea you guys take a whole week to remember. We in the states only have the one day.

Really, I see a lot respect and remembrance every day. Many restaurants give discounts, free food, even completely free meals to veterans. Lowe's, and other stores give discounts to veterans. Entertainment shows, churches and many other meetings often, in fact, usually, take time to recognize and applaud veterans. If I am wearing a pin or cap that indicates prior service I frequently hear from strangers, clerks, etc. "thank you for your service". That we take a day to make it all special is just an extra reminder.
 
Our town has a Veterans Day ceremony at a plaza built just for such events. The job of organizing is rotated between various vets organizations. This year, as Commander of the Shrine Legion of Honor, I will have the honor of being the master of ceremonies.
BTW, for many years our crowd was getting older and shrinking. However, the past few years we have seen many new, and younger, faces and the crowd is getting larger.
 
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