Legions across the country are busy gearing up for the annual national poppy campaign and there is a lot of preparation behind the scenes already happening in Sudbury. The campaign kicks off Saturday and runs until Nov. 11, a day to remember those who sacrificed for our freedoms and to honour military veterans. Members of the Royal Canadian Legion Dr. Fred Starr Branch 76 in Sudbury are preparing poppy boxes, with a total of 35,000 poppies to be distributed in the community by this branch alone. “Today we are setting up for the driver routes. Different businesses within our area. Every branch has certain boundaries,” said Judy Robitaille, chair of Legion’s Branch 76 Poppy/Remembrance Day event. “People are packaging up deliveries that go to different local businesses where they set up their countertop boxes. We are also packing up material for distribution to schools because schools get the poppies as well,” said Jim Young, who sits on the Branch 76 Poppy committee. Kicks off Oct. 24 The national poppy campaign kicks off Oct. 24 with the ceremonial pinning of a poppy. “The first poppy is given to the Governor General. It will happen at 11 (a.m.) at Rideau Hall in Ottawa,” said Young. Officials said the poppy campaign takes months of preparation, from ordering to coordinating distribution routes and many other details. “For everything all combined, we need approximately 250 volunteers,” said Robitaille. “On Saturday and Sunday, we have a number of people coming to pick up their tagging trays to go out and fan off to all of the local businesses around Sudbury,” said Young. Branch 76 said volunteers are always welcome and are needed to make the poppy campaign a success. At this branch alone, there are 60 spots needed to fill.
