Some early services are planned to honour the fallen ahead of Remembrance Day.
On Nov. 4 at 1:45 p.m., Huntsville Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232 and the Dwight Lions Club will host a ceremony at the Dwight cenotaph on Dwight Bay Road, with a short march to pipes and drums and a wreath laying.
At 1:20 p.m. the next day, both Bracebridge Royal Canadian Legion Branch 161 and the Huntsville branch will form up at the Baysville Fire Station for a similar ceremony.
Betty Smith with Legion Branch 232 says they’ll also be out tagging on Saturday for the annual Poppy Campaign. She says canvassers will be out in the community all day, taking donations and handing out poppies regardless of whether a donation was made.
“It’s our biggest fundraiser—really it’s our only poppy fundraiser— and it is what helps us look after our veterans,” Smith says. She explains that includes helping veterans and their spouses pay for medical equipment such as hearing aids or glasses, as well as necessary household repairs.
Aside from the fundraising aspect, Smith says it’s important to pay our respects to both those who returned from war and those who didn’t. “The poppies are recognizable across the world, as a symbol of what our veterans have sacrificed to give us what we have today,” she says.
She adds that if you haven’t already, you can pick up a poppy from any local business, as well as most chain stores and restaurants.
