The holiday season is upon the northwest region and to celebrate, honour, and remember those who have passed, the Lake of the Woods Cemetery is accepting orders for its 24th Annual Ice Candle Festival of Lights.
Vicky Cory, Cemeterian for the City of Kenora, has announced that residents can purchase their hand-crafted place ‘n light Ice Candles which will be placed on the loved one grave site and lit by cemetery staff and volunteers for $10.
“We have a group of strong-willed volunteers that come out on Christmas Eve, around noon. We gather and have a little ceremony, there is a little carol group that comes out and sing some Christmas carols. Then we disperse to our areas and our candles are lit on behalf of those loved ones. People are encouraged to come through from Christmas Eve on,” said Cory.
The 24th Annual Ice Candle Festival of Lights will take place on December 24 to 26.
“It’s a beautiful thing way to spend Christmas Eve with your family,” said Cory.
Cory also states there is also an $8 pick-up option for residents who wish to take their candle home with them or place them on the grave site of the loved one themselves.
“I’ve had them in my backyard and lit them in memory of a loved one that isn’t in our cemetery,” said Cory.
Another significant option the Lake of the Woods Cemetery is providing is an Adopt a Veteran’s Grave program.
Cory states that the program cost the same as the $10 placement option, but for those who choose to adopt a veteran two dollars from each purchase will be donated to the Kenora’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch.
“Our goal is to always light up our veteran’s area, so no veteran is left alone on Christmas Eve,” said Cory.
In 2021, 461 candles were sold under this program, and $922 was presented to the Kenora Legion. Over 600 Veteran graves are marked at the Lake of the Woods Cemetery. Altogether, the Cemetery sold 3,157 last year.
“That was very successful and we are hoping to get beyond that this year,” said Cory.
This year, the LotW Cemetery is capping the number of ice candles at 3,000, therefore Cory is encouraging everyone to purchase their candle early.
The last option the 24th Annual Ice Candle Festival of Lights has is a memory board. The memory board is for those residents who want to purchase a place ‘n light candle for loved ones who do not have a plot inside the cemetery. Cory explains that this is a place for those whose loved one's resting place is somewhere overseas or in a different cemetery or who have had the ashes spread in a different place.
“You can have their names placed on the board and a candle lit in their memory,” explains Cory.
With so many options to choose from Cory is encouraging residents to participate in the Ice Candle Festival in any way they can. Particularly, those willing to volunteer. The Lake of the Woods Cemetery is looking for volunteers to help light the candles. She also encourages those youth who are looking to get in their volunteer hours to sign up.
“They can just call out office and I’ll get people signed up for the volunteer list,” said Cory.
There are several ways to purchase your Ice Candles. Cory suggests that residents can purchase them in person by going to City Hall or the Cemetery Office. There is also an online option too. Cory recommends that when people place their order they make sure to indicate if they want staff to place the candle, the of the loved one’s grave, if the candle is a part of the Adopt a Veteran Grave program, or if they are pick-up a candle.
The last day to place your order is Friday, Dec. 2.
