The Royal Canadian Legion\u2019s annual poppy campaign donation boxes and volunteers will be in the same familiar locations, but some will offer a new way to donate.<\/p>\n
Electronic tap and pay boards which were rolled out on a trial basis in a few locations last year are now available at the two main grocery stores in Liverpool, Sobeys and Superstore. The boards allow you to choose a dollar amount and quickly tap your debit or credit card to make your donation.<\/p>\n
President of Mersey Branch 38 Louis Landry says the automatic machines not only make it easier for people to donate, they require fewer volunteers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe good thing about that is that then the person doesn\u2019t have to man the table. We don\u2019t have to have somebody watching the money box. It\u2019s there on the grace of everybody. I tell everybody that poppies are free, we\u2019re just asking for a donation,\u201d said Landry.<\/p>\n
The Legion is also going green this year, introducing biodegradable poppies and wreaths.<\/p>\n
Landry says the Legion will be working its way through the stock of poppies and wreaths they have on hand. He expects many biodegradable wreaths will be on display this season and to see the new, greener poppies next year.<\/p>\n
Landry says the Poppy Campaign is crucial to supporting local veterans as every dollar donated goes to support former military and RCMP members living here in Queens.<\/p>\n
Landry is also seeing an uptick in the number of volunteers offering to man their donation stations. He credits people being more comfortable dealing with COVID-19 in the community and the efforts of their Poppy Campaign Chair Janet Will.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause she spent quite a number of hours on the phone canvassing people, encouraging them to come out and actually volunteer for this year\u2019s poppy fund,\u201d said Landry.<\/p>\n
The Legion will be marking two significant events during Remembrance Day ceremonies this year. The first is the passing of Queen Elizabeth. The second is the 80th<\/sup> anniversary of Canadian forces landing in Dieppe. In August of 1942, 5,000 Canadians joined their allies in storming France, 900 of them didn\u2019t make it home.<\/p>\n The Legion will host a series of events around Queens County on Remembrance Day beginning at 9:30am at the Brooklyn Baptist Church.<\/p>\n Several services will run concurrently at 10:45 a.m. at cenotaphs in Liverpool, Milton, Caledonia, Port Mouton and Greenfield.<\/p>\n