The Royal Canadian Legions’ Boundary branches inaugurated this year’s Poppy Campaign Friday, Oct. 29, with civic dignitaries receiving “first poppies” in the lead-up to Remembrance Day.
In Grand Forks, Ken Cruickshank, President at the Legion’s Branch 059, pinned the first poppy onto Mayor Brian Taylor at a 10 a.m. presentation at the city’s cenotaph.
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Presiding at Greenwood’s City Hall, Branch 155’s Poppy Chairperson Solange Jacob meanwhile pinned a first poppy onto Coun. Jim Nathorst, who stood in for Mayor Barry Noll, then attending to personal business outside the community.
Friday’s presentations marked the 100th anniversary of the poppy’s adoption as Canada’s symbol of remembrance, Cruickshank explained. The Royal Canadian Legion has commissioned a special commemorative poppy, now available for purchase at Branch 059’s bar at 7353 Sixth St from Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 4-6, from 2 - 6 p.m. At $10.50, the individually wrapped poppies come with a printed copy of “In Flanders Fields,” the First World War poem by Canadian Lt.-Col. John McCrae.
Regular poppies are now available by donation at participating businesses throughout Grand Forks. Canvassers will be handing out poppies at seven or eight city locations on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m.
“We’ll be out there until we run out of poppies,” Cruickshank said.
Proceeds from all poppy sales will go toward programs for veterans in Grand Forks and the rest of Canada.
Poppies are available by donation during business hours at the Canada Post office in Greenwood at 301 South Government St until Nov. 11, according to Jacob.
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