OTTAWA -- This year marks the 100th anniversary of the poppy, a symbol of remembrance for millions of Canadians. And as small as it is, it’s helping make a big difference for those who have served.
Brent Craig is a Senior Service Officer for the Royal Canadian Legion's Westboro branch and he has been part of the Legions poppy campaign since 2008.
“The people have been extremely generous,” says Craig. “We want to remind the Canadian public of the supreme sacrifice that has been made by our men and women.”
Craig says hundreds of people come by their Carlingwood Mall location to donate every day.
“The money that is donated to the poppy fund is actually going directly to the veterans. That is how we support veterans and their families who are experiencing difficulty,” he says.
This year, the mall has given the Legion extra space to help them support both the veterans with the poppy campaign, and the Legion itself with other items.
“People are very generous and it's good to see. It really is,” says Carol Raoult, Westboro Branch Youth Education Officer. “We’ve got all kinds of things: pins and bags and hats and scarves and blankets, umbrellas. We cover all seasons.”
Last year, the poppy campaign surpassed expectations with most of the funds coming from online donations. This year, the Legion says most of those funds are coming from people stopping and picking up a poppy in-person.
“Despite the threat of COVID-19 and so forth, it’s been a very busy poppy season,” says Freeman Chute, Director of Poppy and Remembrance at the Royal Canadian Legion. “Last year, we had a huge contribution online to both the digital poppy and the poppy trust fund through the Royal Canadian Legion. This year, it’s lower, but I’m finding there’s a larger demand for the actual lapel poppy.”
The Legion has 25,000 locations across Canada where you can get a poppy and make donations.
Also available this year are 1000 HSBC Pay Tribute boxes where you can make a touchless donation with a credit or debit card.
At Carlingwood though, people continue to donate the old-fashioned way.
“I can't even begin to think about what they do for us,” says Asim Fayyaz, who donated to the poppy fund. “It’s just a little token of showing them our appreciation and our support. That’s why I think it's important.”
And the volunteers here are proud to be part of something that means so much, to so many.
“You must remember, there are young veterans as well, not just the older ones,” says Raoult. “They need our help just as much. So, it’s always an honor to be able to do that. Always.”
