White crosses with poppies in the middle were placed on veterans' graves at Hillside Cemetery in Portage la Prairie yesterday, as part of the national No Stone Left Alone (NSLA) initiative.

Grade 9 students from Portage Collegiate Institute honoured those who served by placing the items on each grave. It gave them a moment; one to pause, reflect and remember those who sacrificed so much for their freedom.

Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Bergen was in attendance, and says involving students is an important part of the NSLA initiative.

McKenzies Portage Funeral Chapel hosted the ceremony, and welcomed guests, from left to right, Darren Cameron, representing Long Plain First Nation, Royal Canadian Legion, Branch No. 65 members: comrade Kris Bowman, comrade Bob Oldford, comrade Arnie McNee and comrade Bill Pearcy, Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Bergen and Portage Mayor Irvine Ferris

"For them to actually be at the gravestone, lay a poppy, look at the gravestone and think about the name, the individual and the person behind that name," Bergen says. "It was wonderful to see. It was wonderful to see so many students, and wonderful for me to be able to be at the ceremony."

Local NSLA coordinator Jeff Dubois says it's the second year they've held the ceremony in Portage. NSLA is a movement that strives to have all soldiers’ graves in Canada recognized with the symbol of remembrance -- the poppy. It also aims increase youth awareness of the sacrifices of veterans and current serving soldiers.

Dubois says there was an overwhelming community response about how touching Portage's first NSLA ceremony was in 2015, especially seeing young students involved.

"It was good for all those people who paid respect to make sure no stone was left alone by laying a poppy," Dubois says. "We wanted to do it again to provide that for the Grade 9 students, and also for those people who served for our country."

Dubois adds it's an important cause for him personally, as he comes from a family with a military background. "I've been a Legion member for many years," he says. "We have to continue to remember our veterans and remember the sacrifice they made for our country."

Bob Oldford from the Portage Royal Canadian Legion branch says it was a community effort to produce the honourary white crosses and poppies this year. Agassiz Youth Centre made the crosses, then the poppies were placed on and covered with a white paint coating by Visions of Independence, while students placed them on the graves.

"It becomes a community thing," Oldford says. "That's really important, and that's one of the things the Legion wants to make sure the public knows."

"This is an honouring of our veterans, it's a community event." continues Oldford. "And we need to do more of that."

Portage la Prairie Mayor Irvine Ferris also took in the ceremony, and says it's important young people are involved in Remembrance Day activities.

"It ensures continuity in the future, that we remember those that served our country, especially those from our community," Ferris says. "The other reason it's appropriate is the vast majority of people who served in those great conflicts were very close to the same age as the students. So it's very poignant, and very appropriate."