Royal Canadian Legion resisting the use of tap to sell poppies – 'for now'

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 has formally launched its 2024 Poppy Campaign.

Legion officials were in attendance as the Poppy Campaign flag was hoisted outside the Sault Ste. Marie Courthouse Friday morning. Sault Mayor Matthew Shoemaker and a representative for Sault MP Terry Sheehan were in attendance at the flag raising ceremony. 

Taggers will be at locations across the city selling poppies between now and Remembrance Day on Nov. 11. All funds raised go directly to the legion's Poppy Trust Fund to help support veterans and their families. 

“We had a very successful 2023 Poppy Campaign. We were able to raise approximately $110,000 last year for a host of veteran and community services," said Pierre Breckenridge, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 president.

"With the generous donations we were able to provide funds directly to veterans who required emergency food and shelter support. We assisted veterans and family members with medical assistance, supported bursaries for veterans and families, and gave donations to the Soup Kitchen and the Salvation Army Food Bank that serve veterans and their families.

"We also supported ARCH with medical equipment and gave contributions to the four local cadet programs that support our veterans."

The Poppy Campaign is held annually by Royal Canadian Legion branches across Canada beginning on the last Friday in October and continues until Remembrance Day.

The amount of money raised by Branch 25 has increased annually over the last few years.

“We know that people are carrying less and less hard currency with them and they’re using more and more tap and credit card purchases so at some point we’ll need to introduce those tap boxes. We’re resisting it for now because we have been successful in our campaigns with cash, with hard currency.

"The reason that we’re resisting tap boxes is not that we think it’s a bad idea, because it’s not a bad idea, but we really think part of our outreach is that person-to person contact when we have poppy taggers out there,” Breckenridge told SooToday.

“Numerous people have interacted with our poppy taggers, some of whom are veterans, and they talk about their service or the service of their relatives or friends. That’s as important as distributing the poppies because the purpose of it is not only to raise funds for veterans and their families but also to remember their service and sacrifice to our country.”

There are several events throughout the campaign, Breckenridge said.

“We would encourage all businesses to decorate their storefronts with poppy and Remembrance Day themes for the Storefront Poppy Challenge. Then take a photo and email them to Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25. The Poppy Committee will select one that best captures the theme of Remembrance Day and present them with a plaque."

Tamar's Trends Flower Shop at 740 Queen St. E. won last year’s Storefront Poppy Challenge.

“Our popular March for a Vet is back again this year and we are asking participants to register in advance by calling the branch office at 705 945-8721," Breckenridge said.

"If you know a veteran who has passed on or is no longer able to march, you can march in their place. Give the legion a call and provide your information and any information you have about the veteran or veterans you are marching for. We would like to prepare a name tag and organize the parade numbers."

The legion is also supporting the Sault Ste. Marie Museum crochet poppy project once again this year.

“A number of people have been crocheting poppies over the past several months and talking about veterans’ stories. We will be placing them both at the museum and at our new legion building at 96 Great Northern Road,” Breckenridge said.

All veterans are encouraged to join their comrades and the public on Remembrance Day. A first ceremony takes place at the Sault Ste. Marie Cenotaph at 10 a.m., followed by a march to GFL Memorial Gardens for the larger second ceremony that begins at 11 a.m.

The legion currently distributes 18 million poppies across Canada to raise funds for veterans and their families.

“I want to give a shout out to our Poppy Campaign volunteers and our legion executive for their tireless efforts on behalf of veterans and their families. And I would like to personally thank the businesses, community leaders and partners along with all of the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie for their ongoing support of the campaign. It truly is a caring community,” Breckenridge said.