The annual poppy drive is underway in Guelph ahead of Remembrance Day, as residents are encouraged to purchase and wear the red and black pin as a way to honor Canada’s veterans.
This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the poppy as the flower of remembrance, according to the Royal Canadian Legion.
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The poppy is, of course, inspired by the poem. In Flanders Fields, written by Guelph’s own John McCrae during WWI.
David Thompson is the chair of the poppy and remembrance committee at the Guelph branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. He said they are optimistic about this year’s campaign.
“We have found that the people of Guelph are very generous and supportive,” he said.
Thompson added that this year’s campaign is seeing the return of local army cadets who help collect donations and distribute poppies.
They did not participate last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We will use some cadets, but not the same number as in the past,” Thompson said. “They got permission from their superiors to go ahead under certain conditions.”
It is estimated that 20 million poppies will be distributed this year.
Typically the local legion can reach $ 100,000 in donations during the poppy campaign, but last year it only raised $ 79,000 due to a number of factors related to the pandemic.
Thompson said he hopes to at least beat last year’s earnings.
That goal could be met with the help of new technology in the form of a touch-enabled poppy donation box being used in Guelph for the first time.
Thompson said it is installed at Costco on Elmira Road and allows people to make a donation of $ 2, $ 5 or $ 10 with a simple touch of a debit or credit card.
“With people using credit cards so much, we believe this will be the way of the future,” Thompson said.
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He also added that the poppy campaign has benefited from people not bringing as much change as they used to.
“So instead of people, but on bills,” he said. “We’ve always had a strong poppy trust fund, and of course that money goes back to veteran organizations and programs, and it funds cadets here in town.”
The poppy campaign runs through Remembrance Day.
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