ICAC and Ingersoll Community Comes Together for the Poppy Project

Nearly 7,000 crocheted and knit poppies have been donated by community members for Ingersoll's Poppy Project. (Kyrah Smith Photo)

Kyrah Smith, Echo Correspondent

For the first time, the Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre (ICAC) is partnering with the Royal Canadian Legion for the community’s “Poppy Project.” The project has already received an overwhelmingly positive response from the people of Ingersoll.

“We are amazed at how many we actually received,” said Lois Wheatley, an ICAC member and one of the project leads. “There’s been close to 7,000 donations.”

Originating in Winnipeg with Sheilah Lee Restall, the Poppy Project has since spread to communities across Canada. The project brings local volunteers together to knit and crochet thousands of poppies, which are then used to decorate sculptures, cenotaphs and buildings each November as a way of showing support and gratitude.

Members of the centre began planning and preparing for Ingersoll’s project in early February, with countless hours of work going into bringing the display together.

Wheatley told the Echo that the Poppy Project was something many members of both the Arts Centre and the wider community had expressed interest in.

“It’s been a big collaboration,” she explained.

The finished piece measures 10 by 20 feet and represents countless hours of dedication and care from volunteers and community members.

“At first, we were trying to space them out, but because we had so many donations,” Wheatley laughed, explaining that the sheer volume of knitted and crocheted poppies meant volunteers had to change their approach.

The project quickly became about more than just members of ICAC.

“People that aren’t members of the guild or the art centre have brought in poppies, or have come in and helped tie,” she added.

She recalled two twins who had recently moved to Ingersoll. After seeing ICAC’s post about the project online, they wanted to contribute and ultimately brought in hundreds of poppies.

To keep track of the tremendous community response, volunteers have also been maintaining a book listing the names of those who contributed, along with the number of poppies they donated. Wheatley said ICAC plans to present the book to the Legion as a memento of the community’s involvement.

“It’s nice that the community got behind the project. It’s something that goes out year after year, not just a one-time thing. Hopefully it becomes an annual tradition. The hardest part is making sure you thank everybody.”

ICAC is no longer accepting donations for Ingersoll’s Poppy Project. However, those who have already made poppies or would still like to contribute can have their donations passed along to participating neighbouring communities, including Woodstock and Tillsonburg.

For Wheatley and the other volunteers involved, the project has become a reflection of what can happen when a community comes together behind a shared cause.