PRINCE GEORGE – It was a brisk, foggy morning at the cenotaph in front of City Hall for a sombre gathering of local veterans.
One by one, poppies were pinned to the lapels of those present, followed by a moment of silence. The poppy came about as a symbol of Remembrance from the poem written by Canadian John McRae, in “Flanders Fields.”
“That was where the symbol came from,” says John Scott with the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 43. “And it’s been a beautiful symbol for us.”
Boxes like this one will be showing up at locations all across the city. “Pretty much anywhere you go within the city, you will be able to find a poppy tree and you will be able to make a donation and taking a poppy for yourself and all of your friends,” explains Ken Pendergast, Poppy Chairman for the branch.
At the conclusion of Friday’s event at the cenotaph, it was up to the top floor of City Hall.
“The procedure is that we would normally present a poppy to the mayor of the city of Prince George to commemorate the commencement of the poppy program for November,” explains Pendergast.
But the Mayor was not present, having earned a holiday. Acting Mayor Ron Polillo presented in his stead.
“One of our functions responsibilities is to do just exactly that, to pin a poppy on your lapel as a recognition of the significance of the poppy program in Canada and also specifically here in Prince George,” Pendergast told Polillo.
And with that, the poppy campaign is officially underway.
“Most of us are out there on the Poppy campaign or veterans, and we’re the healthy ones,” says Scott. “And we’re there to help our other veterans who are injured mentally, physically or whatever. We will look after them.”
So is the time to honour the more than 100,000 Canadian men and women who gave their lives in both world wars.
