On Sunday October 18, attendants both young and old gathered within Veterans Park to honour those lost and to support those continuing to thrive for the Annual Veterans Day Parade.
Parade participants marched in full uniform from the Gaylord Powless Arena lot to the intersection within Ohsweken, with onlooking community members patiently awaiting their arrival to the ceremony.
The ceremony was emceed by Bob Johnson, the head of the Six Nations Veterans Association, with a row of speakers present to give words of recognition and respect.
Chief Ava Hill said she was “very glad” to see so many community members at the event.
“As you can see our parade is getting bigger and bigger every year, and we get more veterans to come and join us and we’re very thankful that they take the trip to come here,” said Hill, as she thanked the Royal Military College students from Kingston. “I think it’s so important that the families and the youth recognize the sacrifice that their loved ones made,” she said, mentioning her great uncle’s contribution to several different wars.
Dave Levac explained that he was both honoured and glad to be selected as a speaker.
“When we talk about the people who lost their lives, I also want to make sure that we recognize those that are still with us,” said Levac, as he recognized the police, fire department and paramedics as well. “To the youth today, it’s a challenge. And that challenge is ‘pay attention to what you hear, listen carefully to the elders and the stories that are told to you so that you never forget that our freedoms, and the way we live our lives is directly dependent on their success,” said Levac, in regards to the success of the veterans during war.
After overhead fly-by aerial representations were completed and several other speakers spoke, the event was closed with the overall feeling of honour and recognition felt by all.
