11/11/2026
Hello everyone,
Today, I wanted to take a moment away from seafood to share something far more important.
The photo below was taken earlier today at a Remembrance Day ceremony here in British Columbia, where we brought our two children to pay our respects. It's something we make a point of doing every year, and something that means a great deal to me personally.
Growing up in Newfoundland, Remembrance Day was always a day that hit particularly close to home. Our province has a deep connection to the sacrifices made during the First World War, especially through the story of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.
On July 1, 1916, during the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel in France, hundreds of young Newfoundlanders went into battle, and devastating numbers never returned. For a small place like Newfoundland, the loss was unimaginable. Entire communities were affected, and generations later, those sacrifices remain an important part of who we are.
I have a memory from my childhood that has stayed with me ever since.
Back around 1999, my friend Thomas and I participated in a Grade 5 Heritage Fair in St. John's. Our project was about the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel, and we had something incredibly special on display: an actual military helmet worn by Thomas's great-grandfather during the war. It had a bullet hole in it. Remarkably, he survived, although he was injured.
We also put together a PowerPoint presentation displaying the names of the Newfoundland soldiers who had fallen in battle.
What I remember most wasn't the project itself, but the reaction it received. Judges, parents, and spectators gathered around our booth, patiently watching the names scroll across the screen, waiting and hoping to recognize someone from their family or community. Keep in mind, this was 1999 or so, and we couldn't exactly offer a quick search function. So people stood there, sometimes for quite a while, waiting for that familiar name to appear.
Looking back, I don't think I fully appreciated just how meaningful that moment was. But I certainly do now.
Today, as a father of two, I find myself thinking about those experiences in a completely different way. Standing at the memorial service here in BC this morning, watching our children take it all in, reminded me just how important it is that we continue passing these stories down.
I want our kids to understand that Remembrance Day is more than a day off school or work. It's an opportunity to reflect on the courage, sacrifice, and lives of those who came before us, and to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy today.
Whether we're in Newfoundland, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, or anywhere else in this wonderful country, the importance of remembering remains exactly the same.
These stories deserve to be told, and it's our responsibility to make sure the next generation remembers them too.
From our family to yours, thank you to all who have served, those who continue to serve, and the families who have sacrificed so much.
Lest We Forget.
Joe
Owner, Coldwater Harvest
