It took two months to build all of the orbs. (Debbie Klassen/Facebook)

By Derek Cornet

in memoriam

‘A little bit of light’: Display illuminates loss of life in 2020

Dec 21, 2020 | 11:38 AM

A candlelight vigil and light display featuring 89 orbs was a way for Lac La Ronge Funeral Home owners Lorne and Debbie Klassen to remind residents their dearly departed loved ones aren’t forgotten.

“We just really wanted to remember with those people, because we didn’t want them sitting at home thinking ‘nobody remembers our loved ones but us,’ and we just wanted to tell them that we did,” Debbie Klassen said. “After we saw so many people drive by and post comments on Facebook, we knew this was a community thing, it wasn’t just something that Lorne and I had dreamed up. It was something that all the people in the community really cared about what happens when someone loses someone.”

The candlelight vigil was held Sunday at 7 p.m. and it served as a substitute to the service held this time of year at the United Church. Klassen called it a beautiful night as it was lightly snowing and many people drove by to observe the vigil or look at the lights.

Klassen explained the 89 orbs represent 89 families in the area who have lost a loved one in 2020. While most of the orbs are for families she has personally worked with at the funeral home, she said there were special requests for the lighting of a candle or placement of an orb for other community members she didn’t serve.

“Some people got out and took pictures,” Klassen said of the vigil. “I recognized many of those people that they were ones who I dealt with. It was just nice to see them and make them see we support them and don’t forget about them afterwards.”

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A candlelight vigil was held Sunday. (Debbie Klassen/Facebook)

She also mentioned her husband began assembling the orbs about two months ago and it wasn’t until a few were made they decided to make enough for a memorial. She noted some of the orbs have been up for at least six weeks as the lights were placed throughout the yard a few at a time. The last orbs went up on Sunday.

In the years to come, Klassen would like to continue lighting orbs in memory of residents who pass away during the year.

“It just made us feel good to bring a little bit of light into this world,” Klassen said. “If we could just bring a few smiles to people at this time and let them to know we do surround them with our love.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno