2020 Poppy Campaign Fundraising Totals

 At this time of the year, our branch of the Royal Canadian Legion usually salutes the great sacrifice and service of local military veterans. Starting in mid September, we mark the graves of veterans with a maple leaf and a Canadian flag, and end with our remembrance services honouring our fallen heroes. Because of the Covid 19 restrictions, we can not hold many of our ceremonies in our usual way.

Here are this year’s planned events:

Graves will be marked as usual starting September 1st, but there will not be a parade at Lakeshore cemetery. We will instead provide an update of our ongoing memories project in conjunction with the NHS museum. We will also introduce our new website.

Our annual poppy campaign will start Oct 30, with boxes of poppies available at participating businesses.

Our Remembrance services for seniors can not take place but currently are investigating ways to help our seniors reflect on their past.

The annual Veteran’s dinner is cancelled for this year.

The services at our cenotaphs on November 11 will not be held this year. Instead there will be an invitation only service held at the legion monument at 410 King St. This will be live streamed on our Facebook Page and website along with the town. 

There will be wreaths laid at each cenotaph at sunset November 10, and we request those who wish to offer a wreath contact the branch any time before Nov 2nd. We will publish a list of wreaths in our local papers, and on websites.

There will be a spot at each cenotaph for all to leave your poppy on Nov 11 as a personal act of remembrance. We will maintain as much planning flexibility as possible, and as circumstances change, so will our plans.

We are unable to canvass on the street as we usually do, and many stores are understandably unaccepting of cash boxes at this time so donations are greatly appreciated and are seperate from regular branch funds earmarked solely for veteran care.