The No Stone Left Alone Memorial Foundation is a national organization that is spreading worldwide. Its mission is to honour and remember Canadian veterans by engaging youth in programming that fosters knowledge, understanding and appreciation of those who serve and of their sacrifice.
The program will be taking place in Humboldt’s Public Cemetery on Monday, November 4 with students from Humboldt Public School participating. The students will arrive just before 11 am and perform the ceremony at the appointed hour of 11 am.
“This is Humboldt’s fifth No Stone Left Alone ceremony,” explains Humboldt Public School teacher Robyn Moore. “The organization came out of Edmonton. I believe the ceremonies are taking place in nine different countries this year, including European nations honouring Canadian soldiers.
Moore explains that the origin of the initiative came out of a family’s experience where a mother and her young daughter were visiting the site of the family matriarch to pay respects by laying a poppy at the service woman’s headstone in Eastmount Cemetery in Edmonton. The little girl inquired as to why none of the other fallen veterans had visitors or poppies, and the movement was born. For the complete story, connect with the No Stone Left Alone site.
“The organization is all about students; students are at the centre of it,” Moore says. “They have lots of learning opportunities leading up to it. They learn how to say the military ranks properly, they say, ‘Thank you,’ and they lay their poppy.
Students from other schools may be joining as observers, Moore says, and the public is welcome to attend to observe as well.