The Agassiz Legion will be kicking off its poppy donation campaign on Friday, Oct. 25 this year, as part of the annual effort to raise money for veterans and their families.
“The veterans and their dependents are the thing that drives us,” said Gary Enright, president of the local Legion.
The Legion’s poppy campaign is part of a Canada-wide program to raise money for the Poppy Trust Fund, a program that allows the Legion to help support veterans and their families. Money from the trust fund provides bursaries for the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of veterans, as well as financial support for veterans in care facilities or those who need medical attention.
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“Whether somebody needs a prosthetic or a wheelchair, or just need help getting somebody from their family to hospice,” Enright said.
“We’ve been pushing the poppy because it pays for veterans and their dependents, and problems that might arise.”
This year, the poppy campaign kicked off in Agassiz and Harrison with poppy presentations to both mayors. Volunteers will be out around the community with poppies — as well as wristbands, pins and other items to commemorate various wars — starting Friday, Oct. 25.
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“A poppy is worth anywhere from — well it used to be a penny — but a nickel to, we’ve had $50 put in for poppies,” Enright said. “It’s all what people want to give.”
Donations to the Poppy Trust Fund will go to support veterans and families within the community, and will be available leading up to Remembrance Day on Nov. 11.
“If it wasn’t for the soldiers … we’d all be speaking a different language,” he said. “So part of my spiel on Remembrance Day is if you ate in peace today, thank a veteran. Because that’s the bottom line.”
grace.kennedy@ahobserver.com
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