OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Royal Canadian Legion’s 2024 National Poppy Campaign launched today with wider access to Poppies than ever before, Remembrance stories about Canada’s Veterans highlighting the Royal Canadian Airforce, a new ceremony planner for teachers, and hundreds of new locations participating in an advertising blackout to encourage Canadians to take two minutes of silence.
“There are so many ways to show our gratitude for the sacrifices of our Veterans,” says Berkley Lawrence, Dominion President. “I am very proud of the new initiatives we are presenting this year to make it even easier for Canadians to join in collective Remembrance.”
Ways to donate: Traditional and new!
Through an inaugural collaboration with Amazon Canada, the Legion is presenting another way to receive a lapel Poppy. A new storefront on Amazon.ca offers lapel Poppies for donations of $2, $5, $10, and $20 until November 11. One hundred percent of the funds will go directly to the Legion’s Poppy Trust Fund to help support our Veterans and their families. The Legion’s Amazon storefront also offers other products such as “We Remember” lawn signs and red neon window Poppies which will continue to be available past November 11 to help Canadians remember. A larger collection of items can be found at the Legion’s online Poppy Store.
Traditional Poppy boxes will once again be available for donations and lapel Poppy distribution at thousands of locations. Another 1000 “Pay Tribute” tap-enabled donation boxes will be found at many Legion Branches, select RBC branches and select retail locations. With $2, $5, and $10 options, donors can also receive a lapel Poppy from them. Additionally, supporters can give online at Legion.ca.
Funds donated across the country during the National Poppy Campaign support Veterans and their families. What is donated locally is used locally. Close to 20 million dollars is donated each year by generous supporters.
Poppy Stories: A 2024 focus on the Royal Canadian Air Force
This year’s iteration of “Poppy Stories” pays homage to Fallen members of the Royal Canadian Airforce (RCAF), with 2024 being its 100th anniversary. When people go to PoppyStories.ca to scan their lapel Poppy with their smartphone they will first be taken to short personal stories about RCAF members. They will also read stories of Veterans from all arms of the Canadian Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to our country. The Poppy Stories initiative helps people build deeper and personal connections with our Veterans.
The importance of Remembrance: New ceremony guide, two minutes of silence
This year, the Legion is presenting a new ceremony guide for teachers, accessible across the country. The guide features background information and tools to help hold a youth-focused and complete Remembrance ceremony at educational institutions. The guide is complimentary and was created in partnership with Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence. It is another way to fulfill the Legion’s mission, and a means to ensure that next generations will help keep the memory of our Fallen Veterans alive.
Perhaps the most sacred part of Remembrance Day ceremonies is the two minutes of silence taken to quietly reflect upon our Veterans’ sacrifices and remember them with deep gratitude. The Legion’s program to help encourage this action has grown dramatically this year with dozens of new organizational and business participants. The Legion is also featuring some special public service announcements to invite people to take two minutes of silence no matter where they may be.
Biodegradable Poppies and Wreaths: Better for our environment
The Legion’s biodegradable Poppies and wreaths are crafted from a variety of natural materials such as paper, cotton velvet, plaster, moss, and bamboo and they allow the Legion to help reduce its environmental footprint. They will once again be featured as part of the 2024 campaign. Because these biodegradable items were launched only a couple of years ago, it could take additional time for residual stock to be depleted, so don’t be surprised to find a previous version in the mix.
Symbols of Remembrance: Poppy Store
Canadians looking for symbols of remembrance throughout the remembrance period and beyond can find them on the Legion’s online store at poppystore.ca. There are hundreds of respectful items to choose from, including innovative jewelry and clothing, with most featuring the Poppy of Remembrance.
Among the wide variety of Remembrance items being offered this year to show support for our Veterans is an LED Poppy light, a newly-designed Poppy lawn sign, and the ever popular Poppy centre pin to help keep lapel Poppies affixed. Purchasing an item from poppystore.ca, through the Legion’s new Amazon storefront, or from a Legion Branch, ensures a Poppy-themed product is an official item created and endorsed by the Legion.
Remembrance through Light
Beginning October 25, beautiful Poppies representing Fallen Canadian Veterans will cascade virtually upon the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill and on the Senate building. The Poppy Drop will take place until November 11, from 6:30–9:30 pm ET. On November 5, 10, and 11, the display will extend to midnight. Virtual poppies will also cascade down the National Art Centre’s “Kipnes Lantern” on November 11, from 7:00 am ET to midnight ET.
Many well-known Canadian landmarks and community locations such as the Calgary Tower, BC Place Stadium, Canada Place Sails of Light, the CN Tower, the City of Toronto sign, Niagara Falls, and the City of Ottawa sign in the Byward Market among others, will also light up at various times throughout the next two weeks in support of the National Poppy Campaign and Remembrance.
Starting on October 25 and running each night, two large screens on Parliament Hill will also show the Legion’s Virtual Wall of Honour, a silent video sharing the faces of Canadian Veterans who have passed, with photos submitted by people from across the country.
National Ceremony, Vintage plane fly-past, Ceremony Locator
A touching National Remembrance Day Ceremony organized by the Legion at the National War Memorial in Ottawa will take place on November 11. There will once again be a grand Veterans’ Parade and a CF-18 fly-past. In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, several vintage aircraft are expected to make an appearance.
The live presentation of the national ceremony will be accessible via the Legion’s Facebook page and national broadcasters will cover the ceremony on television.
Legion Branches continue to add to the Ceremony Locator at Legion.ca to allow Canadians to find a Legion-supported Remembrance ceremony closest to them. Canadians can also check with local Legion Branches to verify times and locations.
About The Royal Canadian Legion
Founded in 1925, the Legion is Canada’s largest Veteran support and community service organization. We are a non-profit organization with a national reach across Canada as well as branches in the U.S. and Europe. With over 260,000 members, many of whom volunteer an extraordinary amount of time to their branches, our strength is in our numbers.
Public Relations/ Media inquiries: [email protected]; Nujma Bond 343-540-7604
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