Legions outline Remembrance plans as poppy campaign kicks off

By Mark Ribble

LEAMINGTON/KINGSVILLE/ WHEATLEY — The Royal Canadian Legion branches at Wheatley and Kingsville have similar plans when it comes to Remembrance Day this year.

The annual poppy campaign kicks off this Friday, October 30 and according to Kingsville Branch 188 President, Lynne Crawford, they will be getting poppy boxes out to stores.

“We will be putting our poppy boxes in local stores that will allow to do so starting Friday,” she said.

The Kingsville Legion will be distributing poppies on November 6 and 7 at local stores and will be following strict social distancing criteria.

In Wheatley, the campaign kicked off with Mayor Hilda MacDonald and Mayor Darrin Canniff stopping in at Branch 324 to accept the ‘first poppies’ of the 2020 campaign.

Poppy co-chair Bill Robertson said that the Wheatley and Leamington Legion members would be distributing poppies through the boxes as well as attending a few stores and offering poppies with social distancing.

WHEATLEY — The 2020 Legion Poppy Campaign kicks off this weekend, but two lucky dignitaries received their poppies early, courtesy of Wheatley and Leamington Legion members. From left are, Poppy chairman Bob McKee, Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff, Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald, Wheatley Legion President Jan Watson and Wheatley Legion Immediate Past President, Bill Robertson.

Sun photo

As for Remembrance Day ceremonies, both Legions are holding services, but are not encouraging the public to attend.

Kingsville has cancelled their church parade and they will not be participating in any school services this year. The modified version of the service will include wreaths being pre-placed on the cenotaph and be held at the usual 11:00 am time. The public is encouraged to view the wreaths after the ceremony. There will be no parade to the cenotaph, other than parading the officers to their posts. No cadets will be present. Their after-service luncheon is also cancelled for this year.

“We are working as hard as possible to make this a memorable day, as always, and hope that our veterans and community will understand and accept the changes that have been made,” said Crawford.

The Remembrance service in Leamington will take place at 11 am, not at 12 noon, as previously reported. Wheatley’s will take place at 11:00 am as well, as it has in the past. They will not have a parade and are asking residents of both communities to observe the Remembrance from home. No cadets will be present and wreaths will be laid ahead of the service at both Leamington and Wheatley cenotaphs.

Robertson hopes that the service will be memorable, even though there are restrictions.

“The importance of a live ceremony honouring our veterans and their sacrifices is considered paramount,” he said. “Especially during the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.”