With the season of the poppy upon us, residents in New Waterford, N.S., are starting a campaign to spread the word on the importance of wearing the symbol of sacrifice.
More than 10,000 people took a pledge to wear a poppy in the community last year. On Sunday, local members of the Royal Canadian Legion spent the day preparing poppies for a new campaign.
“We're out there showing our faces, we're showing the poppy and people are responding to that,” said public relations officer George McLellan.
Veteran Malcom Harling says it’s important for Canadians to pay their respects.
“That's a remembrance of every soldier, sailor, airman, whoever died for our country,” said Hartling. “It says we remember you and we will never forget you.”
Veteran Les Henry agrees.
“I think that support has always been there," he said. “But it's just come to light now because we have more and more Canadians, especially with Afghanistan going over and serving overseas.”
Officials with the legion say they hope to surpass last year’s total.
“We're on track to distribute more poppies,” said veteran Les Henry. “The first day we distributed well over 3,000.”
There are over 100 members of the New Waterford branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. They say the money raised will go to helping veterans with medical and other services.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore.
