'You can't believe how much this means to me': Remembrance Day commemorated in Windsor
'We will all stand on guard for Canada, for the values of our democratic and free society'
On a chilly afternoon, hundreds of people gathered around the Memorial Cenotaph at City Hall Square to honour the men and women who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces.
For some standing in the crowd, the ceremony is a token of thanks. Dona Parent, 81, was a peacekeeper in Cyprus. He says watching hundreds of community members gather around to express their gratitude is heartwarming.
"You can't believe how much this means to me," Parent said. "It is just a wonderful experience that the city of Windsor has that many people who appreciate what Remembrance Day is about."
Remembrance Day ceremony in Windsor <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCWindsor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBCWindsor</a> <a href="https://t.co/HnwbkuIdLn">pic.twitter.com/HnwbkuIdLn</a>
—@megdrobertsParent stood, bowing his head during the moment of silence, he said he thinks back to the seven years he spent in the conflict. He thinks about the sacrifices men and women endured.
"I come back and my little boy was running around and when I left he was crawling on his hands and knees," he recalls, "But I wouldn't trade it for nothing, it [was] an unbelievable experience."
Tecumseh Mayor, Gary McNamara addressed the large audience because Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens was visiting Ypres, Belgium for Remembrance Day.
"It is a time to renew our promise," McNamara said. "Promise to remember all those that have been lost in conflict and to give thanks."
"We will all stand on guard for Canada, for the values of our democratic and free society, we will remember them."
