Annual poppy campaign to launch Friday with COVID-19 adjustments

Warrant Officer Glenn Miller with the Lethbridge Legion explained that funds raised go a long way.

“The Legion provides financial assistance and support to veterans, including Canadian armed forces, personnel, RCMP and their families who are in need of help,” he said.

“Poppy funds may be used for a number of cases and causes; grants for food, heating costs…prescription medication [and] comforts for veterans and their surviving spouses who are hospitalized and in need.”

COVID-19 ADJUSTMENTS

Of course, this year is a little different than in the past, with the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing.

An adjustment to this year’s campaign is the ability for the public to make electronic donations online through the Lethbridge Legion website. Donations can also be made by text message or in-person using a tap-to-pay poppy box sponsored by national partner HSBC.

The tap-to-pay box will be set up at the Shoppers Drug Mart at the Park Place Mall in Lethbridge, scheduled to arrive on Friday, Oct. 30.

“In the days leading up to November 11^th, poppies can be seen in every corner of this great country,” Miller said, adding volunteers will still be working hard to distribute poppies wherever they can.

“This show of support and display of remembrance would not be possible without the efforts of thousands of legionnaires who volunteer to distribute poppies to the communities through schools, community organizations and local businesses.”

Normally, youth groups would be involved in the poppy distribution on the annual Tag Day, however, that will not be the case this year.

Miller said that is to protect the youth, members of the Legion and help limit the spread of COVID-19.

Additionally, Canadians can support the initiative by purchasing poppy-related material online. The Poster & Literary Contest is back again this year, as well.

Students are invited to submit written or artistic work as an act of remembrance. More details can be found here. The deadline for this year’s contest is December 1.

REMEMBRANCE DAY – NOVEMBER 11

As for November 11, Miller said there will be a ceremony at the Lethbridge cenotaph. However, members of the public are not encouraged to attend, due to COVID-19.

“Currently, there is a set amount of people that can be outside using social distancing and we’ve now met the requirement. We’ll have a roped-off area around the cenotaph and those people can still attend and lay wreaths or poppies [after the ceremony]. Those people who traditionally lay wreaths will be having all their wreaths pre-positioned along the cenotaph,” he explained.

“We’ll also have two satellite services; one at the cemetery at Mountain View and the other one at Battery Point around Henderson Lake.”

Remembrance wreaths and crosses can be purchased at the Lethbridge Legion.

Miller also noted that this year is extra special, as it is the 75^th anniversary of the Liberation of Holland, 75^th anniversary of the Canadian prisoners of war being liberated in Hong Kong, as well as the 75^th anniversary of the end of World War Two.

“Wherever you are, stop at 11 o’clock to pause for two minutes and be thankful for what we have here,” he added as a note for Remembrance Day on November 11.

Michael Cormican, the president of the Lethbridge Legion, echoed Miller’s sentiments on the importance of remembrance.

He noted the local legion will be closed to the public on November 11, which is another change from years past, while recognizing certain groups that will be top of mind next month.

Lethbridge Legion president Michael Cormican (Lethbridge News Now)

“The key people in it this year in remembrance are the, as Glenn said, those that served in the Liberation of Holland [and] even Korea as well. It’s been 75 years now since The Great War and thankfully, we have peace here,” Cormican said.

SENIORS AND COVID-19

Although veterans are not strictly seniors, with some veterans in the early to mid-20s, Glenn Miller said they are thinking of those senior veterans in care homes amid the pandemic.

“For anyone who is in a care home, they’ve basically been cut off from loved ones,” he noted.

The public is invited to write a letter, or postcard to veterans as a thank you for their sacrifices.

“It’s important for us to make sure that at the end of the day, a veteran has someone thinking about them, especially during this time.”

YOUTH INVOLVEMENT

Annette Bermack, the group support scouter for the Lethbridge Legion from Chinook Council – Scouts Canada, says youth will still be taking part, despite not being able give out poppies for Tag Day.

“They decided to decorate stones with poppies, as well as glue poppies on to sticks for planting and we’re going out to the military cemetery at Mountain View to plant the poppies on November 8,” she said, adding the target is to decorate approximately 1,500 stones.

“The youth wanted to do something, and they felt that this was in their [ability] to be able to do, so the youth are doing all the decorating at home and then bringing it on November 8.”

Annette Bermack (Lethbridge News Now)

This initiative will also help raise funds for the poppy fund.

“We’re asking, on a GoFundMe page, for two dollars a grave site for the veterans and all the proceeds go to the poppy fund of the Lethbridge Legion,” Bermack explained.

She said it’s important that youth are educated on the sacrifices of veterans.

“It’s very important to make sure that these youth understand that the freedoms that they’ve gotten now came at a great cost to others and their understanding of that is very strong.”

by Justin Goulet

Annual poppy campaign to launch Friday with COVID-19 adjustments

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