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First poppy presented at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 164

This year marks 75 years of Canada’s United Nations peacekeeping missions
Tanya Hill
Tanya Hill

Royal Canadian Legion’s National Poppy Campaign launched at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Friday, October 20.

Governor general and commander-in-chief of Canada Mary Simon was the first to be presented with a poppy. Since then, day after day, province after province, poppies have been presented in cities and towns as a national symbol of remembrance, and the recognized symbol for the Legion’s poppy campaign, which raises funds to support veterans and their dependents.

The Poppy Campaign launches annually on the last Friday in October, this year being Friday, October 27.

On Wednesday, October 25, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 164, located at 6811 Alexander Street in Westview, had its turn to present a first poppy. City of Powell River councillor Rob Southcott was in attendance, along with qathet Regional District board chair Clay Brander and Tla’amin Nation hegus John Hackett.

Also on hand for the presentation of poppies were Branch 164 poppy committee members Chris Carnell and Bill Demkiw, past president of BC/Yukon command Val McGregor, and special guest Ted Lloyd, a Canadian World War II veteran and the oldest member of the local Legion. Former Branch 164 president Merv Byers presented each guest with a poppy.   

“Saturday we will do a blitz,” said Carnell, who retired from the Royal Canadian Navy in 2011 and also served as a Canadian peacekeeper. “We will have all the legionnaires out, cadets, Clansman Pipe Band members, and firefighters.” 

According to the Royal Canadian Legion, the poppy is Canada’s symbol of remembrance for fallen military and RCMP veterans. Funds donated locally during the campaign are distributed locally to help support veterans and their families, communities, and to promote remembrance.

The poppy campaign is the biggest fundraising campaign of the year for the Legion in the qathet region and across Canada. This year a national campaign called the “Poppy Stories” initiative is being launched, which 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. 2023 is the 75th anniversary of the first Canadian United Nations peacekeeping mission.

A Remembrance Day service and ceremony will be held at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Townsite on Saturday, November 11.

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