![Kamloops Legion Remembrance Day ceremony closed to the public](https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/1605/files/2020/10/Remembrance-Day-Ceremony-Legion-Photo.jpg)
Remembrance Day Ceremonies in Kamloops. (Photo via Kamloops Legion)
The public are being reminded that due to COVID-19 they are not invited to attend the annual Remembrance Day ceremony.
Kamloops Legion Past President Craig Thompson says people are still invited to watch the ceremony online which will air on the Kamloops Legion Facebook page.
“Things will be almost normal except the general public are being asked to please not come down there because we can’t have you due to the numbers and that’s because of the COVID restrictions.”
“We will have the normal ceremony that we always do. The moment of silence, the last post, etc. Some words from the padre. We will be having a few wreathes laid by the senior agencies.”
Thompson says people are invited to visit the Battle Street cenotaph later on in the afternoon once the ceremony has wrapped up, but asks people to mindful and avoid large gatherings.
Meanwhile, a local music duo heard that the poppy campaign wasn’t go as well as usual due to the pandemic so it launched a Go Fund Me page to try and help.
Lead Singer of Loops Kevin Roy is a retired Kamloops RCMP officer and says he has nothing but time now with the gig economy being non-existent and wanted to give back, so it is hosting virtual concerts to recognize remembrance day and raise money for the legion.
“We said, you know what, the one thing we can offer more than money ourselves is our ability, our talent and our time. So why don’t we try to take that, couple it together with a little bit of a fundraising campaign and try to use our talents to help something bigger than just ourselves.”
“The shows are going to be run at 12:00, 2:00 and 4:00. Each show is going to have six or seven of our originals that we’re going to have on our upcoming LP that we are going to be recording soon. And some covers. But more importantly we’re going to be doing requests and giving shout outs and paying tribute to all the veterans that are going to be watching the shows at each individual time slot.”
Roy says many retirement homes in Kamloops will be showing the concert to residents and anyone can view them on the loops Facebook page. All donations made to the campaign will go directly to the Kamloops Legion.