Second Avenue in Strathmore was closed on Monday (Nov. 11) in the morning for the annual Remembrance Day ceremony.
Hundreds of residents made it out to the Strathmore Legion as they honoured veterans who fought and lost their lives while serving in the Canadian Armed Forces.
"It was a wonderful day with a large crowd. It was probably triple what we had last year," said Donovan Arnaud, president of the Royal Canadian Legion in Strathmore. "It shows solidarity for those that sacrificed their lives."
The ceremony featured poetry, bugles, and a performance of Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.
Residents also observed two minutes of silence as they reflected on those who gave their lives for their country.
Arnaud added that over 60 Legion members helped make the event a reality.
"A lot of people contribute to the success of this event. Without all of that work and all the people behind the scenes, that's the real story. It's a team effort, it's not about one or two people."
As an example, Arnaud spoke about how the Strathmore Fire Department reached out a few days before the ceremony asking if they could attend. The department had one of their fire trucks in the street with a large Canadian flag hanging from the crane.
A few public officials also made it out to the event, including Wheatland County Reeve Amber Link, Strathmore Mayor Pat Fule, and several members of Strathmore Town Council.
"The big focus of the Legion is the celebration of our veterans, but the other half that matters on a daily basis is our relationship with our community. We are a part of Strathmore, and our building has been here for over 100 years," added Arnaud.
Following the service, residents were invited inside the Legion to enjoy some hot coffee and chilli, courtesy of Baldwin BBQ.
You can see a gallery of the Remembrance Day ceremony below: