Middle school students placed almost 900 Canadian flags next to the graves of veterans at Elmwood Cemetery in Moncton Wednesday morning. It’s the fourth year in a row the children from Sunny Brae Middle School have crossed the street to pay their respects and get a history lesson from veterans who help them locate the headstones. Cemetery president Jim Rogers welcomes them back every October as a way to raise awareness for Remembrance Day. “I think it’s very important for the students to know why they are able to live in Canada and have the life that we do. It’s because of what our veterans have done,” said Rogers. Grade 7 student Gemma Taylor enjoyed the experience and talking to the veterans who showed them what to do. “I like how people from Sunny Brae got chosen to do this today,” said Gemma. “Some of it made me realize just how much they did for us. They didn’t have to, but they chose to and life now is easier because of them.” Grade 7 student Zak Benmohamed thought it was an amazing opportunity. “This experience was very pleasant and it felt very heartwarming to give out flags to the people that served our country,” said Zak. “It was great being here.” Classmate Brya Martin said it was definitely a positive experience. “It was really nice putting flags at all of the veterans’ tombstones to pay respect to them,” said Brya. Students formed groups and were assigned to veterans who used maps to locate each of the 868 graves of service members, many of the First and Second World Wars. Veteran Andy Arseneau showed Gemma and her friend Brea Flanagan where to place the flags and was very impressed with both girls. “Absolutely fabulous. Respectful, attentive, they did a marvelous job,” said Arseneau. Veteran Terry Fontaine believes it’s vital for today’s youth to know the significance of Nov. 11. “It’s very important and it’s nice to see that because we are getting older and we need to pass the torch down so that these veterans are not forgotten,” said Fontaine. “They’re going to come out and for the rest of their lives, when we are gone, they are going to take over and they’re going to remember the veterans.” Rogers believes the students understand the significance of what they were doing on a perfect fall day in Moncton’s oldest and largest cemetery. “It’s a very diverse school and I know that there are kids that go there, that live here now, that have come from war-torn countries and they can appreciate what we have here compared to what they left,” said Rogers. It’s been a trying time for Canadians of late. Four soldiers were killed and dozens more were injured in a fire at CFB Wainwright over the weekend, Albertans overwhelmingly voted in favour to remain in Canada on Monday opposing a separation referendum and U.S. President Donald Trump won’t stop his 51st state rhetoric. All good reasons to be more patriotic than ever. “No question. United Canada, what we have, what they fought for, that’s why we’re here. Remembrance Day, unity and all that goes with it is so, so important,” said Arseneau. Fontaine thinks all Canadians should come together no matter what their views are and what’s going on in the world. “We always know that Remembrance Day is the day that we get together and honour our veterans because they fought for our freedom so that we can come here today and do this,” said Fontaine. “It’s important that the kids know that they have their freedom and it’s owed to the people that they’re putting flags on today.” Rogers said Canadians are patriotic in a subdued way. “There are some things that the Americans do that I wish that Canadians were more like and that’s to be more patriotic,” said Rogers. “We’re not flashy and we’re not loud and so on. But I think that it’s time for us to step our game up, I guess. Be more patriotic.” For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
