Photo Ed Halverson

The Royal Canadian Legion’s annual poppy campaign is back with a decidedly new twist this year.

Donation boxes and volunteers will still be in the same familiar locations, but some will offer a new way to donate.

Electronic tap and pay boards which were rolled out on a trial basis in a few locations last year are now available at the two main grocery stores in Liverpool, Sobeys and Superstore.

The boards allow you to choose a dollar amount and quickly tap your debit or credit card to make your donation.

President of Mersey Branch 38 Louis Landry says the automatic machines not only make it easier for people to donate, they require fewer volunteers.

“The good thing about that is that then the person doesn’t have to man the table. We don’t have to have somebody watching the money box. It’s there on the grace of everybody. I tell everybody that poppies are free, we’re just asking for a donation,” said Landry.

The Legion is also going green this year, introducing biodegradable poppies and wreaths.

Landry says the Legion will be working its way through the stock of poppies and wreaths they have on hand.

He expects many biodegradable wreaths will be on display this season and to see the new, greener poppies next year.

Landry says the Poppy Campaign is crucial to supporting local veterans as every dollar donated goes to support former military and RCMP members living here in Queens.

Landry is also seeing an uptick in the number of volunteers offering to man their donation stations.

He credits people being more comfortable dealing with COVID in the community and the efforts of their Poppy Campaign Chair Janet Will.

“Because she spent quite a number of hours on the phone canvassing people, encouraging them to come out and actually volunteer for this year’s poppy fund,” said Landry.

The Legion will be marking two significant events during Remembrance Day ceremonies this year.

The first is the passing of Queen Elizabeth. The second is the 80^th anniversary of Canadian forces landing in Dieppe.

In August of 1942, 5,000 Canadians joined their allies in storming France, 900 of them didn’t make it home.

The Legion will host a series of events around Queens County on Remembrance Day beginning at 9:30am at the Brooklyn Baptist Church.

Several services will run concurrently at 10:45am at cenotaphs in Liverpool, Milton, Caledonia, Port Mouton and Greenfield.

Services will also be held at noon in Liverpool at the Camp Norway Memorial and at 2:30pm at the newly dedicated 1^st Beech Hill RCAF Memorial on Old Port Mouton Rd.

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Legion poppies. Photo credit: Ed Halverson

The MLA for Queens-Shelburne is asking the province to provide financial support to legions.

Kim Masland was moved to make the motion after a presentation Wednesday by legion members to the legislature’s standing committee on veteran’s affairs.

Chairman of the poppy and remembrance committee for the legion’s Nova Scotia/Nunavut command Don McCumber was there to explain how money raised through poppy donations helps not just veterans but communities.

“It’s the service that’s provided to our youth through bursaries. It provides funding to our local cadet organization,” said McCumber. “It’s providing service to our seniors and it would be a big loss to a community to have a legion close its doors.”

McCumber said the poppy fund is a public trust that can only be used to support veterans, RCMP and community members in need.

Masland said she became concerned when she asked how the legions fund their day-to-day operations.

McCumber explained the money used to keep the lights on comes from social events they usually hold throughout the year. Because of COVID-19 precautions they’ve been unable to host any events.

Masland asked the committee to write a letter of support to Premier Stephen McNeil, in his role as minister responsible for military.

“Asking him to extend a one-time grant to the legions throughout the province to continue to support the work they do and to make sure that they’re able to keep their doors open,” said Masland.

The Queens-Shelburne MLA said the legions are crucial to so many members of the community, seniors and veterans.

“That’s their place that they go and meet and chat and we have to do what we can to make sure those doors stay open,” said Masland. “We saw it in Caledonia, the doors closed, and once the doors close, they don’t reopen.”

The COVID-19 pandemic is also forcing the legion to change how it collects donations for the poppy fund this year.

McCumber says in 2018-19 the legion raised $771,000 across Nova Scotia through poppy donations, of which, $736,000 was put back into local communities. He is concerned the legion may see a steep decline in donations because of COVID-19 restrictions.

The legion will not have veterans and volunteers collecting donations for poppies in person at the usual malls and shopping areas.

Donation boxes will instead be in place at NSLC outlets across Nova Scotia and at some retailers.

McCumber is optimistic people will still keep the legion in mind around Remembrance Day.

“We’re hoping, even though we’re having some tough times here with COVID and policies, that the community members themselves will realize the situation that we’re in and take the initiative to find a way to make a donation to that poppy fund,” said McCumber.

He encourages people and businesses to reach out to their local legion branch when making a donation for a poppy or buying a wreath to be laid during Remembrance Day services to ensure the money raised will continue to support efforts in their home community.

Donations can also be made directly to the legion by e-mail: merseybranch038@eastlink.ca.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson