The Poppy is 100!
Madame Anna Guérin, later christened "The Poppy Lady from France", inspired by John McCrae's "In Flanders Fields", had an idea: to adopt the distribution of the Poppy on Armistice Day as a way to raise money for Veterans' needs and to remember those who had given their lives during the First World War.
In July of 1921 the Great War Veterans Association (which in 1925 would unify with other Veteran groups to form the Canadian Legion) adopted the Poppy as the flower of Remembrance.
Since then, the Legion and its members have upheld this tradition of Remembrance.
source: Legion.ca
Thanks to Joyce Crandall, our connection to the Verdun Legion, poppies will be available at church as of this Sunday.
Meanwhile, the pedestrian path that runs between Queen Elizabeth Park and Ouimet street (next to the Sikh temple) has been officially designated “the Poppy Trail.” Legion #4 President Stand Kirkoff and other Legion members, along with representatives of the borough, inaugurated the site earlier this week in honour of the Veterans who founded Crawford Park.
