Stouffville Legion readies for different type of Remembrance Day

Legions fear money raised through poppy campaign will be much lower due to COVID-19 pandemic

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 6, 2020
Simon Martin

Remembrance Day events will be much different this year during the COVID-19. Mass gatherings and post-ceremony meals are not in the cards Nov. 11 at the Stouffville Legion, as they are most years, Stouffville Legion president Murray Pattenden said.

The legion’s biggest fundraiser, the poppy drive, is also much more complicated this year, Pattenden said, as many stores are closed and it is more challenging to get into schools during the pandemic.

COVID-19 certainly has hit the legion financially, with the main revenue loss being from hall rental income, Pattenden said.

“It’s important to still wear the poppy this year,” Pattenden said. “Do not forget Nov. 11. Buy a poppy.”

The Stouffville Legion will be attempting to do an online event this year, although at press time Pattenden didn’t have details of how residents could participate. They will be having scaled back ceremonies for members. Pattenden said they will still be laying wreaths, but the challenge with in-person events is that you can’t have the normal additions, such as a colour party.

The Stouffville Legion’s challenge certainly is not unique.

Legions in York Region and South Simcoe are trying to find ways even within modified Stage 2 restrictions to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, Crystal Cook said.

Cook is the district commander for an area of Royal Canadian Legion branches that includes Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Stouffville, Woodbridge, Sutton, Mount Albert and Bradford.

Remembrance Day parades to local cenotaphs have been cancelled, she said.

Many legions are holding invitation-only services restricted to no more than 25 people, which will be livestreamed through social media.

Residents should check with their local legion for details on services in their communities, Cook said.

Meanwhile, this year’s poppy campaign is not as visible as in past years because only a handful of people are selling them in selection locations in different communities.

Instead, donation boxes are in stores, but with restaurants and other businesses closed during pandemic restrictions, there are fewer of those as well.

Cook is pleading with the public to support this year’s poppy campaign, the largest annual fundraiser for veterans and their families.

“Not being able to do a lot of our traditional ways of getting those donations, my fear is that the donations are going to be down,” she said.

“We’re just hoping that the public will be a little bit more generous this year. They’ve always been generous but we’re really counting on the communities to come and support us because this is our main way of supporting our veterans for the year.”

While income from poppy campaigns can fluctuate from year to year, Cook said as much as $400,000 a year is normally raised in York Region.

“We help the veterans to pay for things that they are unable to. We purchase them wheelchairs and walkers and hearing aids and dentures and a variety of things,” she said.

“We’ve helped a veteran pay a hydro bill because they just didn’t have the funds to do so.”

This year’s muted observance of Remembrance Day is difficult on veterans and legion members, but Cook said she’s optimistic communities will rally around them.

“It’s very hard because this is the time of year that is extremely special for them. To not be able to be there is very difficult for them,” she said.

“We keep telling them we’ll be back next year bigger and better than ever.”