In my haste and late night stupor to remind our Association of our peewee tournament, I made a distasteful decision – the decision to use Remembrance Day symbolism to promote hockey in an announcement last night. I regret that decision this morning as I stand in quiet reflection right now, and hope to make amend by sending out this message as an apology.
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Lest We Forget – three words renown across most countries to show our remembrance of those who have fought, and those who have died fighting for freedom. It means that we will never forget. In Canada, we honour the day by wearing poppies, a flower that bloomed throughout the fields of battle grounds in France and Belgium during World War I. The wearing of the symbol of the poppy was made popular due to the poem, Flanders Field, written by Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae after witnessing his friend and fellow soldier struck down in the midst of battle in WWI.

Flanders Field
by John McCrae

In Flanders Field the poppies blow
between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
the larks, still bravely singing, fly
scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow.
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
in Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
to you from failing hands we throw
the torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
we shall not sleep, though poppies grow
in Flanders Field.