One of the company’s recent initiatives included collaboration with the City of Edmonton and No Stone Left Alone to create interactive digital tours of three Edmonton cemeteries, including the stories and photos of 50 Canadian veterans.
Read MoreA wreath was laid today in Auberville-la-Renault, France, on behalf of the No Stone Left Alone (NSLA) Foundation, to remember the sacrifice of seven RCAF Airmen who lost their lives in battle on 8th August 1944. The wreath was laid with the assistance of two local children, Chloé and Manon, in the presence of Monsieur Michel Lemesle, Mayor of Auberville-la-Renault.
Read MoreIn August 1942, 80 years ago, nearly 1,000 British, Canadian and American commandos died during "Operation Jubilee" in Dieppe, France.
Here is an in-depth video presentation explaining how the plan unraveled, using original aerial footage, current HD footage taken in Dieppe, maps, photos and graphics.
In 2021 we honoured more veterans, in more ceremonies, in more communities than ever - despite the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the commitment of our volunteers, educators, students, sponsors, donors, and supporters we continue to move this mission forward, ever closer to our goal of honouring every Canadian veteran's headstone with a poppy placed by a young Canadian.
67,171 headstones honoured
88 participating communities
131 ceremonies - including 2 international
While caution around COVID meant our student participation was limited, we still engaged 7,702 students in safe and respectful events across the country.
We added 23 new communities to the NSLA family, including 3 in Newfoundland, which brought NSLA back to the province. Growth was also seen in Ontario, with 11 new communities coming on board in the Peterborough region.
Internationally, the first ever NSLA ceremony was held in Apeldoorn, Netherlands on November 14, and a ceremony was once again held in Krakow, Poland after a pause in 2020 due to COVID.
Welcome and thank you to the communities who joined the NSLA family in 2021:
Grimshaw, AB; Millet, AB; Okotoks, AB; Wainwright, AB
Burnaby, BC; Coldstream, BC; Houston, BC
Deloraine, MB
Eastport, NL; Harbour Breton, NL; Hermitage, NL
Beaverton, ON; Campbellford, ON; Cobourg, ON; Douro, ON; Downeyville, ON; Ennismore, ON; Grafton, ON; Lakefield, ON; Lindsay, ON; Norwood, ON; Peterborough, ON
Apeldoorn, Netherlands
"Thank you for yesterday at No Stone Left Alone. Visiting No Stone Left Alone taught me about the soldiers that risked their lives for peace and freedom. It was a special honour to be part of No Stone Left alone. I enjoyed laying the poppies on gravestones and praying.
Those who died shall be missed, but shall never be forgotten."
Victoria
Grade 4/5 Student Participant, 2021
Through your support, you enable us to give this unique experience to more young Canadians, lighting a spark of remembrance they will carry forever.
Thank you for your part in this year's tremendous success. There is much work yet to do in 2022 and beyond, but with your help we will prevail.
We won't stop until there's no stone left alone.
Thank you to our friends from School 58 for undertaking a ceremony at the Krakow Rakowicki Cemetery. They recognize and remember our Canadian soldiers at Krakow, Poland. We know how much preparation goes into these programs and appreciate you and the students involved.
Dudley Bertram Fryer was just 24 when he participated in the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917.
Although Fryer survived that battle and the remainder of the first world war, once he returned home he didn’t speak much of his experiences. But one of his mementos held the key to unlocking more of his story - a letter he had written to his brother in April 1918.
Read MoreAlthough COVID prevented an NSLA ceremony from being held in their community in 2020, Tanya Margerm’s kindergarten students found beautiful ways throughout the year to be of service to their community. We couldn’t be more inspired by their commitment to being kind, generous and respectful neighbours and citizens. These young Canadians make us proud and immensely hopeful.
Read MoreThose are the words written by Peggy Small, on the front of a letter she has placed on her father in law’s headstone at Beechmount Cemetery in Edmonton each year since 2017.
The letter shares the personal story of second world war veteran Robert Johnston Small, who signed up to serve at just 17 years old, in 1941.
“Dear student,
Today you have participated in the No Stone Left Alone ceremony, and you have laid a poppy at the grave of Robert Small. Every Remembrance Day we visit this gravestone, and it warms our hearts to see the poppy and to know that a young person has paid tribute to him. You may like to know a little about Robert Small (Bob)…
Read MoreFor every $1 donated to NSLA in June, our giving platform CanadaHelps will give NSLA a chance to win $20,000 to support our programming! The more dollars donated, the better our chances of winning that much-needed prize.
Throughout the month, we will be featuring stories of great Canadians on our social media accounts. Join in by sharing a story of your favourite great Canadian, and making a small donation in their honour. We will amplify your tribute across our online community of over 10,000 Canadians, so that we can all show our gratitude for what they have done for Canada.
Read MoreThis post is a collaboration between No Stone Left Alone and Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa, ON.
Cemeteries are often referred to as a place for the living. In urban environment, cemeteries are often some of the last remaining green space open to the publics. In a given day, cemeteries will host funeral or burial services, monuments visited by grieving families, people walking around the grounds and artists taking photographs or painting.
Most cemeteries encourage the community to explore the grounds. Given the dynamic use of cemeteries grounds, it is helpful to know the basic etiquette of visiting cemeteries.
Read More
