Uxbridge Remembrance ceremony planned for May 8th

UXBRIDGE: A special Remembrance ceremony is in the works for this spring at Veterans Memorial Park on the shores of Elgin Pond.

In a presentation to councillors earlier this month, Lew Gregor, Drum Major of the Uxbridge Legion Pipes and Drums, outlined the planned special ceremony on the afternoon of Friday, May 8th, joining in celebrations around the world.

As Mr. Gregor explained, the ceremony is planned to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day in World War II. The idea originated with an email sent to Mr. Gregor from the United Kingdom (UK) with a new tune for the pipe band to mark the occasion.

The plans for the celebration call for a parade down Franklin Street to Reach Street to the park, with the Pipe Band joined by other Legion branches, the local Cadet Corps, the Uxbridge Secondary School band, Tish MacDonald’s ‘Vimy Kids’, and military vehicles supplied through the Ontario Regiment Museum in Oshawa.

“There are a number of groups that have expressed interest, and I’m getting more everyday,” explained Mr. Gregor. “To the best of our knowledge, no one else is doing something like this on May 8th. So we could have quite a large gathering, this is just the start of a weekend-long celebration.”

As part of the celebration, the library and local churches will be asked to ring their bells at 7 p.m., to join in the festivities.

Uxbridge Legion president, Sherrill Hodgson, added Branch 170 will celebrate its 90th anniversary this May, adding to the festivities on May 8th.