Image: City Of Chilliwack / X / Mayor Ken Popove joined Royal Canadian Legion Branch #295 President Krista Smith to kick off the Legion's annual poppy campaign on Oct. 25, 2024.

By Don Mitchell

Remembrance day

Royal Canadian Legion presents ‘First Poppy’ to Chilliwack Mayor to kick off annual fundraiser

Oct 25, 2024 | 2:57 PM

CHILLIWACK — On Friday, Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove joined The Royal Canadian Legion on Vedder Road for what’s known as the “First Poppy” kick-off event.

The ceremonial event marks the start of the annual Poppy Campaign fundraiser for Veterans, which happens every year on the last Friday of October.

The drive runs until November 11, with the aim of putting tens of millions of poppies on Canadians as a visual pledge to honour the country’s Veterans.

“Inspired by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields, the poppy was adopted by The Royal Canadian Legion in 1921 as a sacred symbol to commemorate the service and sacrifices of fallen Veterans,” the Legion said in a release.

Several national businesses in cities, towns, and communities across the country support the campaign, welcoming Legion volunteers and poppy boxes into their locations.

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Donations collected are held in trust at the branch level to directly support Veterans and their families within their communities.

Chilliwack’s downtown Remembrance Day procession and ceremonies start on November 11 at 10 a.m. at Evergreen Hall.

The procession begins at 10:30 a.m. with a ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park (45820 Spadina Avenue).”