It is important to remember that the basic purpose of funds
raised during the Poppy Campaign is to enable Branches of
the Royal Canadian Legion to provide immediate assistance to
ex-servicemen and women in need. This includes providing
food, shelter and medical attention for them or their
families when necessary. Poppy funds also allow the Legion
to “give back” to the local community in the form of
bursaries to local schools, support of army, navy and air
cadet corps, donations to local hospitals and other vital
support programs. During the 2020 Poppy Campaign, our
community donated $41,000 to our branch. Although this falls
short by approximately $20,000 of the amounts raised before
the pandemic, it does reflect the continued generosity of
our community. These
funds were directed to support our five cadet corps,
Operation Leave the Streets Behind, Youth Education and the
Perley and Rideau Health Centre.
The Poppy has been widely recognized as a symbol of
Remembrance since it was first adopted in 1921. By wearing
the Poppy, we demonstrate our gratitude to those who gave
their lives for the freedom we enjoy. Legion Remembrance
programs commemorate the men and women who died in the
military service of Canada during war and peace.
The 2021 Poppy Campaign commences October 29 and runs till
November 10.
It is through the generosity of
donations to the poppy campaign from our community that
Branch 641 is able to provide financial support to our
Veterans, youth and community organizations.
We are happy to be able to distribute poppies once again in
person. This year, poppies and other Legion items (pins,
hats, etc.) will be distributed from Friday, October 29
to Wednesday, November 10 at the following stores: Walmart,
Metro, Loblaws, McDonough’s Your Independent Grocer, Farm
Boy (Greenbank location) and Costco (Barrhaven location).
If you would like to volunteer to distribute poppies,
sign-up sheets are at the Branch. Please take as many shifts
as you can so that we have them all covered.
Remembrance Day Ceremony
If you would like to purchase a wreath to be displayed at
the Remembrance Day Ceremony on November 11, please contact
Stéphane Guy by November 1 at rcl641president@hotmail.com.
Wreaths will be pre-positioned at the memorial
monument (instead of each wreath being placed at the
memorial) and individuals and businesses that purchase
wreaths will be announced at the ceremony and through
various media.
Once again, we must host a reduced Remembrance Day Ceremony
on November 11. Missing again this year will be the parade
of military, cadets, scouts and other local groups. Instead,
the Barrhaven Legion will host a Colour Party and we will
live stream this from John McCrae Secondary School on our
Facebook page. Attendance at the ceremony will be extended
to members of the Barrhaven Legion only.
We hope to be able to return to a public ceremony in 2022.
Have questions? Want to find out how you can help? Please
contact Ed Schelenz, Poppy Chair, by email at
edschelenz@rogers.com
or by phone at (cell) 613-415-2708 (home) 613-843-1088.
** Supporting the Poppy Campaign means supporting Veterans
in need
and Veteran and local community programs. **

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