GORE BAY – A beautiful arbour, the Poppy Arch, filled with colourful red poppies was unveiled beside the cenotaph at the Remembrance Day service hosted by the Western Manitoulin Royal Canadian Legion Branch 514 in Gore Bay on November 11.
“We have approximately 1,200 poppies,” said Marian Hester, who spearheaded the project, told the Recorder prior to the service. The poppy project was held in remembrance of all those veterans who have served Canada in the past and those serving presently.
The poppy campaign has had contributions from people all over the Island, and even summer residents who have knitted and crocheted poppies. Some of the people who contributed them, made them at home and dropped them off at the Legion, or they have taken part in work bees held on the eleventh day of every month this year.
The long list of people who have provided poppies for the campaign include Mary-Lynn McQuarrie, Marian Hester, Betsy Clark, Johanna Allison, Alisha Allison, Beulah Hester, Heather Jefkins, Alice Pennie, Mary Jane Yaeger, Marty Gryciuk, Patti-Jo Woods, Carolyn Haggert, Laurie Addison, Tracey McIvor, Pat Colwell, Annette Murphy, Linda Porter, Vicki Wright, Sylvia Kemp, Kristy Keller, Amy Heinen and Beverly Woods.
The poppies themselves have been varied, from normal poppy size to six inches in height and in different colours and styles.
Ms. Hester pointed out, “Noble Lumber had made a very generous donation of the foundation for the arbour to be put on for the Remembrance Day ceremonies.”
