Poppy Season has begun once again in Yellowknife.
With Remembrance Day right around the corner, Legion members and Cadets will be out in the community handing out poppies for residents to wear in honour of all the brave men and women who have given their lives in the line of duty, as well as those who still serve today.
As the poppies are handed out, residents also have the chance to donate loonies and toonies to the Legion. Tammy Roberts, the President of Yellowknife’s Legion branch 164, shared some details on how that money is used.
“So that is our big drive every year, the Poppy Campaign, that money actually goes into an account that is in trusts, so it’s not money that is available for our local Legion to use at will, there is certain guidelines around it, but it mainly goes towards veterans and supporting youth and supporting our Cadets. Things like that.”
Roberts added that several Yellowknife businesses have agreed to have poppy bins in their buildings to support the effort. She also shared another way that city groups and businesses can show their support for the upcoming holiday.
“Also this year, we are offering to businesses or groups where they might be able to purchase a wreath from us that can be pre-laid at the ceremony in St Pat’s school, or they can rent one if they don’t want to purchase one. All that information is available on our website, and we’re also quite active on Facebook.”
Roberts went on to say that this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony will be a bit larger in scope, as this has been a particularly challenging year.
“This year it will be a full celebration. We’ll start in the morning, with a ceremony at the Cenotaph right next to the RCMP station between the RCMP and City Hall. That one is open to the public, and you’ll see some officials and whatnot laying wreaths there. Then shortly after that, we’ll have a parade that goes through downtown, and ends up at St. Pat’s High School, where the indoor ceremony will happen. Then after that, everybody comes to the Legion, and we hang out for the day, have some food, share some stories, and have a really great time.”
