Morley community members will honour veterans past and present this Remembrance Day at the Bearspaw Youth Centre, with services beginning at 10:15 a.m.
Nation member, Kenny Hunter, will emcee the service.
Hunter is the great-nephew of the revered late Joe Poucette — the nation member who served his country as a rifleman in the Royal Winnipeg Rifles during the Second World War.
Poucette was killed in action Aug. 15, 1944 and was buried in the Bretteville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery in Calvados, France.
The Wesley Band erected a memorial statue of the war hero atop a horse some 10 years ago along the northern hills, overlooking the community of Morley.
“I’ve been organizing the service for the last 15 years,” said Hunter, adding that moving the service from the Morley Church across the road to the Bearspaw Youth Centre would allow for more room to accommodate everyone attending and participating.
Hunter said the legacy of his great uncle lives on and that his loss deeply affected all of Joe’s immediate family members (now all deceased) — sisters Cora, Annie, Evelynn and Mary, brothers Noah, Felix and Peter Jr. and parents Peter and Jenny Poucette.
“Joe Poucette comes from a large extended family from the House, Kaquitts, Poucette, Cecil, Wesley and Hunter clans.”
Hunter said he believes it is key for the younger Stoney Nation members to learn about Joe Poucette and all service men and women hailing from Morley to understand “the freedom they enjoy now and why we are so blessed to live in this beautiful land that Joe Poucette gave his life for.”
Anyone is welcome to attend the service, which will include traditional Stoney prayer, drumming (by drum group Rumbling Hills) and powwow dancing, followed by a luncheon service.
