Poppies for sale.
Orléans Legion member Al MacDonald sells poppies at the Place d’Orléans Shopping Centre on Oct. 31. Legion members will be selling poppies at Place d’Orléans until Nov. 10.
The annual legion poppy campaign is no small fundraising drive, bringing almost $90,000 into the community last year.
The money goes into a public trust, with no funds used for the actual branch. Instead, the money collected is used for a variety of community initiatives, including veteran services.
The more than $87,000 raised by the 2011 Orléans Legion Poppy Campaign bought defibrillators for the curling clubs in Navan and Cumberland.
“There’s a need everywhere,” said legion president Jim Ferguson. “We sponsor everything we can.”
He said there are guidelines to where they can disperse funds, but most go towards benefitting veterans.
“At Christmas, we visited all the seniors homes and provided treats and gifts to all the veterans at all the homes in the Orléans area,” Ferguson said.
Legion members are selling poppies at Place d’Orléans Shopping Centre until Nov. 10 at 9 p.m.
NOVEMBER 11
The Nov. 11 Remembrance Day ceremony has continued to grow in the east end.
This year, the legion has obtained a special event permit from the city to accommodate increased attendance.
The majority of businesses in the Taylor Creek area – excluding the medical centre which is open seven days a week – are opening up their parking lots.
There is also parking available on Lacolle Way, in Taylor Creek.
“It’s going to be a very busy year,” Ferguson said.
This year, along with 260 cadets, Mayor Jim Watson will be attending the Orléans ceremony, scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
Because of the high volume of people expected, Ferguson recommended showing up by 10 a.m. to properly park and find a spot to observe prior to the start of the ceremony.
There will be refreshments provided following the ceremony, held at the legion at 800 Taylor Creek Dr.
“Nov. 11 is for veterans, there’s no speaking;” Ferguson said. “It’s Remembrance Day, so we carry out the celebration of remembrance.”