A symbol of remembrance will soon make an appearance around the Lakeland. Royal Canadian Legions across the country are beginning their poppy campaign, including Branch 183 in Bonnyville. “Buff” Hite has been the manager of the legion in Bonnyville for 25 years and is a Canadian Air Force vet. He says the poppy campaign allows the organization to continue providing to the community.
“For the legion, it’s our only source of income that we collect through the selling of wreaths and poppies so we can give back to the veterans and different organizations.”
Hite says dropping a loonie in the buckets at stores around Bonnyville allows the legion to continue with projects like joining forces to buy two handicapped-accessible busses with the Bonnyville Lions Club. He figures the legion has spent around $1 million in the last 20 years of service.
Remembrance Day this year has a special anniversary around it. It will be the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War 1. To celebrate the anniversary, Hite says anyone with a bell at sundown on November 11th should be ringing them.
“I’d like as many people in Bonnyville that have bells to ring their bell 100 times. To honour the vets that lost their lives.”
The public can be expected to see wreaths up for sale starting on the 25th and poppies for sale shortly after that. Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held on Sunday, November 11th at the Bonnyville C2. More information about the Bonnyville legion can be found on their Facebook page.