GORE BAY – Close to 800 poppies have been created thus far in the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 514 (Gore Bay) Poppy Project, and with just less than three weeks before the campaign closes it is possible a total of 1,000 can be reached.
“We have 778 poppies now, and on November 6 we will be putting them together on the (Legion) arbour,” said Marian Hester, who has spearheaded the project in remembrance of all those veterans who have served Canada in the past and those serving presently.
Ms. Hester noted that with November 6 set as the date for all poppies to be brought in to be put on the arbour, “if anyone has poppies at home or they are completing them, if they have them delivered by that date, we will be here at the Legion from 3 to 5 pm in the afternoon and from 7 to 8:30 pm in the evening to accept them.”
We will be decorating the (Legion) arbour with the poppies for the Remembrance Day ceremony this year, said Ms. Hester. She pointed out the poppy campaign has had contributions from people all over the Island, and even summer residents who have knitted and crocheted poppies. Some of these people do these at home and drop them off at the legion or they have taken part in our work bees on the eleventh day of every month.”
The long list of people who have provided poppies for the campaign includes 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.
“The red poppies will be displayed by the Legion,” said Ms. Hester who pointed out purple, yellow and black poppies will be displayed in the Gore Bay Library around Remembrance Day.
