Supporting the Royal Canadian Legion’s poppy campaign

Simcoe’s Remembrance Day ceremony is held at the Carillon Tower, Norfolk Street, on Nov. 11.

Leah Bauer

Advocate Correspondent

As Canadians, many of us can recite John McCrae’s In Flanders Fields by heart, fully aware of the sadness, sacrifice, and legacy that poem represents.

That legacy lives on each year through the Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Campaign, a national tradition of Remembrance. From the last Friday of October (Oct. 31) until Remembrance Day (Nov. 11), Canadians proudly wear the poppy to honour our veterans and all those who gave their lives so we can live freely. While the poppy is free for anyone to wear, the Legion welcomes donations to the Poppy Fund.

The Poppy Fund serves two key purposes: to provide direct support to Canada’s veterans and their families, and to ensure that our nation never forgets their sacrifices. The campaign is organized and run entirely by Legion volunteers across the country, including right here in Norfolk County, with branches in Waterford, Delhi, Port Dover, Port Rowan, Teeterville, and Simcoe.

Funds raised locally help provide financial assistance, housing, medical support, and accessibility services for veterans in need, while also supporting education programs, community care, and remembrance initiatives. The Poppy Fund also contributes to cadet programs and disaster relief efforts that benefit veterans and their communities.

Each poppy pinned to a coat or sweater carries more than a symbol, it carries gratitude, remembrance, and the promise that the sacrifices of Canada’s veterans will never be forgotten.

Remembrance Day ceremonies are held in Fairground, Waterford, Delhi, Port Dover, Port Rowan, and Simcoe on Nov. 11, typically starting about 10-30-10:45 a.m. St. Williams’ ceremony usually starts 30 minutes later. Teeterville’s ceremony is Sunday, Nov. 9 at 1:30 p.m.