NOVEMBER 4, 2021 | THE WELLINGTON ADVERTISER | 17
Remembrance Day 2021
Legions kick off 100th anniversary of poppy with local campaigns, ‘tappable’ payment poppy boxes
BY JORDAN SNOBELEN FERGUS - The annual Royal Canadian Legion poppy campaign kicked off on Oct. 29, marking the 100th anniversary of the poppy. This year, new poppy boxes accepting wireless payments are being rolled out to branches within the county. Fergus branch president Randy Graham said the wireless payment option is motivated by the pandemic and an increasingly cashless society – an issue of particular import for a campaign historically supported by pocket change. The “tappable” poppy box debuted on Oct. 29 during the Fergus branch’s “fun night” and has since been relocated to Zehrs. Shoppers wishing to support veterans services with the purchase of a poppy can simply use their NFC-enabled smartphone or a tappable bank card to contribute $2, $5 or $10. The box will also appear at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex on Nov. 6 for the Grand River Mustangs Remembrance Day Classic hockey tournament. Graham was the first donor to use the tappable payment box and said the Legion receives 100% of proceeds with no fees deducted for payment processing. Funds are held in trust for Dominion and Ontario Commands to be spent only with approval from
on high. “It is not our money to spend without approval and it’s basically for the support of veterans, their families” – covering everything from funeral expenses to hearing aids – as well as youth projects like the Legion’s poster and literary contests, Graham explained during a visit to the Advertiser’s office. Poppy funds are also donated to the Veterans Care Program at St. Joseph’s Health Care Parkwood Institute and another program at Sunnybrook Hospital. In the last two to three years, Graham figures the community has donated $40,000 toward the poppy fund through the purchase of poppies, wreath sponsorships and sizeable company donations. “The generosity of people over the last two years has been incredible … more generous than they have [been] in the past,” Graham remarked. Each year the branch orders upwards of 25,000 poppies. “We have probably one of the better funds,” Graham said of the Fergus branch, owing to the generosity of the community, strong support for the poppy and demand for upwards of 80 wreaths each year. But the largest draw of funds for the campaign comes from those passing by Legion members or Canadian Forces cadets (who will be making a return this year) canvassing at store
Fred Hiller, longtime member and past president of the Fergus Legion branch. entrances. Graham said one of the “great pleasures” of canvasing with the poppy box is the number of people who come by and say thanks on behalf
Lest We Forget
Photo by Jordan Snobelen
of a family member who served. The fundraising and remembrance campaign focused around the poppy has been going strong for 100 years now; the red flower plucked from
We Will Remember
Canadian John McCrae’s oft-referenced In Flanders Fields poem and kept alive, living up to the “lest we forget” mission. CONTINUED ON PG 19
Lest We Forget
TED ARNOTT, MPP
Senator Rob Black
Wellington-Halton Hills
Ontario
www.robblack.ca
www.tedarnottmpp.com 1.800.265.2366
Lest We F rget
Robert.Black@sen.parl.gc.ca
ON REMEMBRANCE D AY,
J O H N . N AT E R @ PA R L . G C . C A J O H N N AT E R . C A
From the Battle of Ridgeway to Afghanistan
We Will Remember Them Jeff Duncan, County of Wellington Town of Erin (Ward 9)
Chris White
Mayor, Guelph-Eramosa
HONOUR THE SACRIFICE OF OUR B R AV E M E N A N D WOMEN IN UNIFORM.