LAKELAND – With Remembrance Day Ceremonies taking place every year, it doesn’t hurt to have a quick refresher on poppy protocol and how to honour the National Day of Remembrance.
“The main thing that people have got to remember is that the donations that they put into the poppy box go to help veterans and their families and all that money that they put in the trays here, stays within the local community,” explained Todd Rorke, President of the Cold Lake Royal Canadian Legion Branch 211.
Rorke said that the funds collected through the poppy campaign return to the local Legion where the community donation was made.
These funds are then used to help local veterans and their families, but may also go on to support community projects, like youth groups.
“We get calls all the time to help veterans purchase medical supplies, appliances, or help them get to their medical appointments, whether it's within the city or even down to Edmonton,” listed Rorke.
“We are also able to help them with the transitions like assisting them with the VA (Veterans Affairs) paperwork.”
When to start wearing a poppy
The poppy campaign starts on the last Friday of October and runs until Nov. 11.
"We encourage everyone that once the trays are out, people can start wearing their poppies,” he said.
Rorke added that poppies should be worn until sundown on Nov. 11. “This is when they should be putting their poppies away.”
Where to place your poppy
A single poppy should be placed on the upper left side of the chest by civilians.
“I think the main thing is that it's the closest to the heart. That's why it's always been on the left side,” noted Rorke, adding that this does not always apply to members of the Canadian Armed Forces when in uniform.
What to do with a lost poppy
During the lead up to Remembrance Day, it is unfortunately not an uncommon sight to see a lost poppy that came loose from someone else's jacket.
“If someone sees one [on the ground], I mean it's always nice just to pick it up,” said Rorke. “Even if they want to give it to someone else to wear or maybe take the extra one and place it on another jacket or something.”
If the poppy is still in good and clean condition, a lost poppy can even be returned to a poppy tray, stated the Cold Lake Legion president.
“They shouldn't just be left in the gutter or even really be thrown into the garbage. It should be reused,” he said.
Rorke acknowledged that it is a terrible feeling to lose a poppy. “I don't know how many I've lost over the years just from putting my seatbelt on in the vehicle. It always manages to take it off almost every time,” he said.
But there are solutions. Permanent lapel poppy pins are sold by the Royal Canadian Legion online and local Legion Branches sell centre pins for poppies, which reduces the likelihood of losing a poppy.
“All they have to do is pop into the Legion even if they're not members,” shared Rorke. “We always have lots on our hands. And right now, the centre pins are $3 apiece.”
What to do with a poppy after Nov. 11
On Nov. 11 or the days after, people can hold on to their poppies or find a way to return them to their local Legion.
“At the Energy Center and at the end of the ceremony, as people are leaving, we always put out white crosses on the table, and people can deposit their poppies into the white crosses. Then at the end, we will take those poppies, and we'll reuse them for next year if we can,” explained Rorke.
Other respectful ways that people can return poppies in their possession is by adding them to a wreath or placing them on a cenotaph on Nov. 11.
Rorke also acknowledged that many people will hold on to their poppy for the following year. And that’s OK, he said adding, it is still important to make a donation during the following year’s poppy campaign.
“If we don't get the monies, we just can't do our full mandate. So that's why the donations to the poppy campaign are so important to the Legion,” he explained. “For donations whatever they can afford at the time. We're happy if we get more than a dollar.”
Making your own poppy
With some looking to create their own version of the Remembrance Day poppy and with the growing popularity of beaded poppies to mark Indigenous Veterans Day on Nov. 8, Rorke notes that the poppy is a trademark of the Legion.
“The only thing I worry about with some of these people making their own [poppy pins] is the poppy itself is a trademark of the Legion. So, they have to be careful infringing on that because it is a copyrighted item,” he said.
Rorke recommends that if someone wants to create their own poppy pins that they contact the Royal Canadian Legion National Headquarters to ask permission.
“If they want to do something like that and ask for permission, nine times out of 10, [the Legion] usually won't stop them,” he stated.
Passing the torch
More than anything Rorke stressed the importance of donating to the poppy campaign, the Legion’s biggest fundraising drive of the year. “That's the main thing, and then getting people out to the ceremonies.”
When it comes to honouring veterans, Rorke emphasizes the importance of parents involving the children whether it's helping them donate and collecting a poppy for their own jackets or bringing them to a local Remembrance Day ceremony.
"We have got to pass it on to the children,” stated Rorke.
