The Royal Canadian Legion Orillia Branch 34 is excited to get its poppy campaign back on track this year after the COVID-19 pandemic put limitations on volunteers and locations where poppies could be sold in 2020.
“Last year was really bad because we weren’t allowed out, we weren’t allowed to do anything in person," explains Rick Purcell, president of Orillia's Branch 34 of the Royal Canadian Legion.
"This year, we are able to drop off boxes to stores in Orillia which is where a lot of the money comes from. We’ve already put the boxes out, and the campaign officially kicks off this Friday and Saturday. We are doing fairly good with it so far.”
Purcell says all money raised from the poppy campaign locally goes toward helping area veterans stay safe and healthy.
“Quite a few veterans need extra support, so the poppy money we raise in Orillia goes toward helping a veteran if they come in and say they need a new hearing aid, new glasses, or something of that nature. We will also help with medical bills and things like that,” he explained.
Money raised for the Poppy Fund on the provincial level helps veterans with larger costs such as wheelchairs and service dogs.
“The Poppy Fund is very important because it allows us to give money to veterans when it’s needed,” Purcell said.
Canadian Navy Veteran Len Thorne, who served from 1961 through 1973, says volunteering with the poppy campaign, as he has for the past 50 years, is extremely important to him.
"Our second World War veterans are in their mid-80s to late 90s. So, from time to time, there are people in need, and that's what the money goes to," he said.
"The money goes back to the veterans, their families, and the community as a whole, and it's important to me to keep helping with that," Thorne told OrilliaMatters.
The majority of poppy boxes will only accept cash donations. However, an electronic debit poppy box is available at the Legion, located at 215 Mississaga St. E.
The local Legion has no set fundraising goal for this year’s poppy campaign, but Purcell says any and all donations are appreciated.
