As Remembrance Day approaches, it is a great time to reflect on the sacrifices of all who have served and continue to serve in the armed forces to protect peace and freedom.
Diane Powney, Citizenship Officer with the IODE Baron Tweedsmuir Chapter Olds, says their annual No Stone Alone ceremony is coming up this Friday at 1pm at the Olds Cemetery. She says “with partnership with the Legion, we walk in with our flags and we go in front of the cenotaph and we do the ceremony. We say a few words, sing O Canada, recite Flanders Fields, and then we usually have people put flags and poppies on each of the graves.”
Powney notes this will be the 10th year for the No Stone Left Alone ceremony in Olds. She says “the No Stone Left Alone is to remember the veterans who have given us the freedom in our country and what they have done for us, and how they sacrificed their lives. It is to teach our next generation of students and children that this is important to remember these veterans, and to hopefully have them understand why it is important to remember these veterans and whet they have done for our country.”
There are 13 chapters of IODE in Alberta and the one in Olds operates the Second Time Around Thrift Store, and they welcome new members anytime. She says “IODE started many, many years ago, about 125 years ago and it was always called the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire. It has only been recently with the changes with the world is doing that IODE will stand for Inclusive, Organized, Dedicated and Enthusiastic but we are all across Canada.” The Olds chapter has a Facebook page here.
Listen to 96.5 The Ranch’s Community Hotline conversation with Diane Powney.
