Good Samaritan donates $300 after Ottawa poppy box stolen

A donation box stuffed with cash was stolen from a west Ottawa shopping mall, but a Good Samaritan stepped up and gave back in a big way.

For more than three decades, navy veteran George Guerin has volunteered to hand out poppies in November. The annual two-week poppy campaign provides critical money to support veterans and their families.

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On Thursday, Guertin and his partner Yvonne Pilon were volunteering with the local Legion collecting donations at a poppy table in Bayshore Shopping Centre.

“George was away from the table it was late at night, 8:20," Pilon said. "A young man came to the table and picked up a poppy he looked at it was feeling the poppy.

"Then all of sudden he grabbed the box and ran towards The Bay. There was some ladies here they yelled and went after him, but he was long gone.”

“I have 91-year-old legs and I would never catch up to him,” says Guertin. “It was the energy of these two girls to track him down and find the box.”

The donation box was retrieved in the parking lot, but most of the money was gone. Guertin said he's not sure how much money was in the box, but he estimates about $300.

Shortly after the theft took place, Guertin says he was approached by a man with his two children.

“I thought he was giving me a $50 bill, bit it was six $50 bills," Guertin said. "I was shocked when he gave me that—that was a recovery of the money we lost.

"I asked him his name and he says 'No, no, that's my donation.' And he kept on going with his children.”

“We never expected that,” Pilon added. “Thank you to the ladies that retrieved the box from the parking lot and also thank you to the people who were around and tried to help.”

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Shawn Taillon, president of the Royal Canadian Legion 593 in Bells Corners, said the money from the poppy campaign helps support veterans year-round.

“The money during this 10-day to 12-day period, it's all money raised to help the veterans all year long," he said. "It goes to homeless vets, programs, service dogs, helping our vets at Perley Rideau and helping our local vets in our area."

To the anonymous donor who dug deep to give back to Canada’s veterans, Guertin says:

“I hope he comes to the legion in Bells Corners. I want to thank him. The entire Legion would like to thank him."

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