by Allison Smith –
With every Remembrance Day, my thoughts turn to my grandfather, who passed away in 2008.
A veteran who served with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in the Second World War, Norman Constantine was very involved with Gibsons Legion #109. Some of my fondest memories are of watching him march proudly in the local Remembrance Day parade, and dancing together in the legion hall afterward. At his memorial service, one by one his fellow veterans removed a poppy from their uniform and placed it gently on the table in front of a picture of my grandpa.
“I think it’s important to continue to celebrate Remembrance Day and to remember the people who gave their lives up for their country,” says veteran Bill Morgan in Meet Your Neighbours (pg 14). As the years roll on, surviving veterans from the Second World War are lost, and the need to honour these people, and their stories and sacrifice, grows ever greater.
As thoughts turn to remembering and the holiday season approaches, the call to “Shop Local” is perhaps not the battle cry it once was. But as the pandemic drags on – and on! – it’s still so important to remember our small local businesses. In addition to all of the amazing shops and services on the Saanich Peninsula, with restrictions eased on indoor capacity limits there will be lots of opportunities to support local makers at craft fairs and holiday markets over the coming weeks. Many of these artisans and entrepreneurs have barely held on over the past 20 months or so, and your support may make the difference as to whether they are still in business next year.
And finally, as we think ahead to a hopefully brighter 2022, the editorial team will get together to discuss content for next year. We look at our columns and plan features, and take into consideration the feedback from our readers as to what we could be doing differently. So now is your chance! We’d love to hear from you; what would you like to see? What changes should we make? Please email allison@seasidemagazine.ca with your suggestions.
