Quesnel’s annual poppy campaign kicked off on Saturday, Oct. 30, as local legion president James Spencer presented the first poppies to Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes and Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson.
The ceremony took place at the cenotaph in downtown Quesnel, and marked the official kick-off to the legion’s poppy campaign.
“The poppy trays are out, the businesses that want to have a wreath up, they’ve got theirs up now, we’ve also got people sitting at Extra Foods and Safeway,” Spencer said.
The event in Quesnel echoed similar ceremonies across Canada.
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The Legion will be hosting a private Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 11, but Spencer encouraged everyone to mark the day in their own way, even suggesting stopping by the cenotaph after formal ceremonies have finished.
“It’s the same as remembering our sailors in the navy, our air force, our army, they’ve all done their sacrifice, and we’re doing it again for people like us,” he said.
“We’ve got to sacrifice a bit, to save everybody else.”
READ MORE: Quesnel public Remembrance Day ceremony cancelled
Spencer added Legion members are asking the public to wear a second poppy this year, modelled after the first poppy distributed in Canada. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the poppy’s recognition as the official flower of remembrance.
Residents are asked to wear this poppy until the end of the year, instead of taking it off at 11 a.m. on Remembrance Day.
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