Poppies, the symbol of Remembrance Day, became available to the public last Friday.
On Soundingboard Port Elgin poppy campaign Chair Kathryn Eastwood points out that the poppies are not for sale but are free.
However they do accept donations for them if you choose to donate.
Eastwood says they’ll have canvassers on the streets offering the poppies and many local businesses have boxes of them inside their stores as well.
She says something new this year is in the schools.
For the very young, they have special poppy stickers to go on clothing.
Eastwood says this will be offered to children who may be too young to be pinning the traditional emblem on their clothing.
She says it’s simply a safety feature.
Protocol dictates that you wear your poppy only until midnight on Remembrance Day, November 11th.
Eastwood says money raised through donations provides funding for ex-service personnel and their dependents.
Last year our district which represents some 50-branches of the Royal Canadian Legion raised $800,000.
Locally in Port Elgin, almost $14,000 in donations came in.
