Students from both St. Mary and R. F. Staples schools took part in the No Stone Left Alone ceremony on Nov. 6 at the Westlock Cemetery.
“It’s important for the young people of today to remember and recognize the sacrifice of the men and women that served,” said Westlock mayor Ralph Leriger, whose father fought in the Second World War.
“The point I was really trying to make for the students is to make it personal. There could be grandfathers, or great-grandfathers in a small town. These students may have their relatives here.”
Attendees of the ceremony observed a moment of silence, followed by Westlock Legion chaplain Marjorie Steele reciting a prayer for those who were lost at war. Students then broke off into groups to learn more about the soldiers’ sacrifice and lay poppies on their graves.
“I find it important to be here because we get to honour the fallen who fought for us in World War Two,” said St. Mary Grade 6 student Tyson Sterauss.
Steele said she got involved to help ensure soldiers are never forgotten.
“To me, a lot of family don’t come out anymore to remember their loved ones that have died in the war, and we want to do this as a perpetual memory for them,” said Steele. “That’s why I took it on as Legion Chaplain.”
Launched in 2011 by Maureen Bianchini-Purvis in Edmonton, No Stone Left Alone is an event where children lay poppies on soldiers’ graves in recognition of the sacrifices of Canadian men and women who have lost their lives in the service of peace — at home and abroad.
Both of Bianchini-Purvis’ parents were buried at the Beechmount Cemetery in Edmonton, a burial ground of 4,000 veterans, and she visited their graves every Armistice Day. Her daughter asked her why no one else came to meet their relatives, motivating her to create the No Stone Left Alone charity.
Steele said she read about this in the newspaper and decided to take it upon herself to do this through the Legion.
“It’s just another way of honouring our veterans,” she said.
Since bringing No Stone Left Alone to Westlock in 2013, the Westlock Legion has found a combined total of 1,093 graves in an area that includes an area from Cross Lake to Busby and Linarie to Thorhild.
It’s a trend that is becoming increasingly popular as more families contact the Legion looking for their loved ones.
“Every day we have someone call us and say that I have a relative that you could look for,” Steele said.
No Stone Left Alone ceremonies have grown to include many communities within the province, and it has even expanded into other provinces such as British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and parts of Ontario.
“We’re hoping that in a few years that all across Canada it will be something that people will do,” Steele said.
