Fort St. John locals remember

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Two local Home Hardware sales associates have taken extra steps to honour those who fought for Canada’s freedom this Remembrance day. 

For six years, William Vipond and Robert Morrison have been creating a Remembrance Day memorial in Home Hardware’s lobby with hopes that the people who see it will remember why Canada is called “the true north strong and free.”

“We figured people go right from Halloween to Christmas and nobody seems to do Remembrance Day,” said Vipond. 

“Without it, we wouldn’t have Christmas, we wouldn’t have Halloween.”

The memorial features photos of soldiers, military uniforms, colourings and paintings by students from local schools, and lists of Fort St. John locals who served in past wars. 

According to Morrison, the memorial isn’t just a tribute to fallen soldiers.

 “It’s an effort to remember the people that don’t get any thanks. People think of soldiers as just people that go out and fight,” said Morrison.

“In Canada, they also do search and rescue, disaster recovery, and rebuilding.”

Vipond and Morrison hope their memorial will not only serve as a reminder of Canada’s history but also as a reminder of how fortunate the community is to live in a free and peaceful place.

“Fort St. John is a very safe place, and people need to really grasp that,” said Vipond. 

“We have so much freedom here right now”

The Remembrance Day memorial will be on display at Home Hardware until Friday afternoon.

For Canadian Veteran Dean “Duke” Cuthbert, Remembrance Day is about learning from history. 

“When you’re playing a video game, you’re in car crashes, and you’re running around killing people. But if you see that in real life, there’s a total difference there,” said Cuthbert. 

“A lot of people become hardened to that. It’s fun to watch on TV, but when you see it in real life, it’s a little different. It can cause a lot of trauma. That’s why people should be taught, and shouldn’t be afraid to learn from history.” 

Cuthbert is grateful for his experience during his time served. 

“Maybe it’s in my blood, but I enjoyed it every minute of it, and I do it again in a heartbeat,” said Cuthbert.

“ I met so many heroes and comrades, and I’m honoured to be part of it.”

Community members can take part in honouring Remembrance Day by attending the Fort St. John Legion’s Remembrance Day parade on Friday. 

The parade will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the Cenotaph located at 102 street and 105 avenue.

Remembrance Day services will be available across the Peace region on November 11th for those wishing to pay their respects to those who served.