As Remembrance Day approaches, it will be impossible to venture out without encountering the ubiquitous poppy donation boxes of displays of the little red flower that has come to symbolize our respect for the sacrifices of the men and women of the Canadian military.
The history of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance, though, has a dark beginning.
Following the Second World War, the soils of Europe had become rich in lime and debris after years of vicious, inhumane fighting that took the lives of around 45,000 Canadians and a total battle death toll that, to this day, can be only estimated. Those estimates range from 15 million to 22 million, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in human history.
In a strange twist, the same soil that had been torn asunder by artillery shells and soaked in the blood of soldiers, became a home to a little red flower – the poppy. It seems that poppies flourished in the ravaged soil and soon appeared around the gravestones of the war dead.
In 1915, John McCrae, a doctor serving with the Canadian Artillery, made note of this phenomenon in his poem, In Flanders Fields – a poem that is still read at Remembrance Day ceremonies.
In 1921 the Great War Veterans' Association of Canada (the predecessor of the Canadian Legion) adopted the poppy as a symbol of remembrance.
That remembrance, of course, has now expanded to recognize those who have served, and too often died, in a host of wars and conflicts since that "war to end all wars".
Today, the funds raised through the poppy campaign are vitally important to the work of the Canadian Legion, providing funding for a host of programs, including grants for food, medication and emergency home repairs for vets.
The money also funds programs that help veterans who find themselves in dire straits after leaving the military.
Nola Paxton, an 18-year veteran of the Canadian military, is one of the Legion members who make the poppy campaign possible. She helps coordinate the efforts of the Royal Canadian Legion - Langford (Prince Edward) Branch #91.
“We have ten locations on the West Shore, and we run the program from the last week in October to Nov. 10. It’s a big job,” said Paxton. “We run two shifts at each location, seven days a week and it’s all manned by volunteers.”
The intricacy of the scheduling is apparent as Paxton examines a large board bedecked with spreadsheets of locations, names and shift schedules.
“Anyone can volunteer to help out, and we always need more volunteers. You don’t have to be a legion member to help and, in fact, in November we’ll have help from the Air Cadets, the Sea Cadets, the Beavers, the Guides, and even the Rebels and [Victoria] Grizzlies.”
The effort to raise money through the poppy fund has become higher-tech over the years with some locations featuring tap machines (no one carries cash anymore) and a QR code symbol that allows folks to log onto a donation site.
That QR code, incidentally, was developed by Paxton’s daughter.
"My whole family was involved in the military, going back to my grandparents. We’ve always been there,” said Paxton. “I’ve been part of the military culture my whole life and, even though I’m not in the military any longer, I see this as a way to continue to serve,” Paxton said.
Last year, Legion volunteers distributed almost 20 million poppies and collected nearly $17 million in donations. Online donations can be made at www.rcl91.ca.
