Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Campaign launches annually on the last Friday in October and continues until Remembrance Day on November 11. It is the biggest fundraising campaign of the year for the organization in the qathet region and across Canada.
Local Poppy Campaign committee member Karen Crashley organized this year's first poppy ceremony that took place on Tuesday, October 22, at Royal Canadian Legion Powell River Branch 164, located at 6811 Alexander Street in Westview.
Retired Royal Canadian Navy captain and former City of Powell River mayor Stewart Alsgard, who is known for his reconciliation work with Tla'amin Nation, did the honours of pinning poppies onto participants' lapels, but first, opened the ceremony with some words about Remembrance Day, the Poppy Campaign and truth and reconciliation.
"Funds donated locally during this campaign are distributed locally to help support veterans and their families, and our community," said Alsgard. "I would remind people that just three months ago, the commander of the Canadian Army retired, and the significance of the lieutenant-general commander is that he is a [member] of the Huron[-Wendat] First Nation."
Now retired, lieutenant-general Jocelyn (Joe) Paul was the first Indigenous officer to be appointed as commander of the Canadian Army.
"This has nothing to do with skin colour or anything of that nature," said Alsgard. "What it has to do with, are the people who believe there's a huge prospect for the future of this country."
Alsgard complimented the Poppy Campaign and the efforts made by Branch 164 volunteers who dedicate their time to the annual fundraising initiative. Also on hand at the presentation of poppies were local poppy committee member Chris Carnell, Crashley and BC/Yukon Royal Canadian Legion Foundation command chair Val McGregor, along with Tla’amin Nation hegus John Hackett and a qathet Regional District representative Michelle Jones.
According to the Royal Canadian Legion, the poppy is Canada’s symbol of remembrance for fallen military and RCMP veterans. Funds donated during the campaign are distributed to help support veterans and their families, communities, and to promote remembrance.
The Poppy Stories initiative allows Canadians to scan a lapel poppy with their smartphone. Folks will be introduced to a fallen soldier with a story about them that they can read digitally.
Canada’s War Museum states that: “The red poppy, a native plant along much of the Western Front during the First World War, has become a powerful symbol of remembrance. It is the principal emblem of the Royal Canadian Legion, which distributes several million each year to be worn by Canadians on Remembrance Day.”
Every year, from the end of October until Remembrance Day, November 11, poppies are distributed and worn to honour those who have served overseas and at home. A Remembrance Day service and ceremony will be held at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Townsite on Monday, November 11.
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