Local legions have thousands of reminders that people in Thunder Bay aren’t forgetting veterans.
Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 6 president George Kearney said the annual poppy campaign has brought in more than $16,000 this year from the city’s south side alone.
“And we’re still counting as the poppies are being brought in from our volunteers,” Kearney said Wednesday over the sound of change being counted by four volunteers.
The money is spent locally on veterans in need and their families for everything from medical equipment to help with certain travel expenses.
“In addition to that we support local community medical research and assist if needed with assistance to seniors,” Kearney said.
While there’s never a specific goal, Kearney said the legion usually brings in around $20,000 each year.
“Anything we receive of course we’re quite thankful to receive from the public.”
Legion Branch No.5 poppy chair Mst. Cpl. Sharon Scott said while the money is still being counted, she’s hoping the campaign exceeds the $18,000 raised last year from the north side of Thunder Bay.
In her four years as chair, she’s seen poppy sales increase.
“I think it’s the public awareness either through the TV or the movies that have been published over the years and just the veterans being out in the community,” Scott said as a reason for the increase.
Branch No.5 sold more than 30,000 poppies last year alone.
Once an inventory is complete, the legion waits for the campaign to start up in October again.
Both Scott and Kearney agree that the poppy campaign is not only a way to help out veterans, but also a way to remember the sacrifices they made.
Kearney said he’s even seen a renewed interest in veterans over the last few years from younger generations.
“I think there’s a good future for the poppy campaign. The sacrifice of our veterans is ever before us,” Kearney said.
