'It blossomed': Weymouth, N.S. Poppy Project exceeds expectations with 2,500 handmade poppies

A sign outside the Weymouth, N.S., legion is seen. (Courtesy: Janet Cromwell)

A small way to honour veterans has grown into a big community project.

Draped over the cenotaph outside the Weymouth legion in Nova Scotia’s Digby County are hundreds of knitted and crocheted poppies.

The creation was spearheaded by Janet Cromwell, who wanted to support veterans and military members in her rural village on the Sissiboo River. She first thought of starting the Weymouth Poppy Project earlier in the year, after seeing a similar project in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

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“Why can’t Weymouth do one?” explains Cromwell. “Weymouth is a village of only about 300 people, but the attendance we have at Remembrance Day ceremonies is phenomenal.”

Cromwell started the process in February and by spring, she asked her group of local crafters if they’d be interested in participating.

Crocheted poppies are draped over the cenotaph at the Weymouth, N.S., legion. (Courtesy: Janet Cromwell)

“And all of a sudden, the next thing you know, somebody’s like, ‘Can I have one of those patterns? Can I take them to the nursing home?’ So, I started a little Facebook group. I set out with, what I thought, was a lofty goal of 2,000 poppies. If we had a thousand poppies, I would’ve been unbelievably excited. Well, a month later after I started this in May, we had over 500 poppies. That’s within a month!”

By September, the Weymouth Poppy Project surpassed its goal with 2,500 crocheted poppies.

“It blossomed. It surprised me. It boggled my mind,” adds Cromwell. “I became known as the poppy lady.”

Poppies made as part of the Poppy Project are pictured at the Sissiboo Landing, Heritage and Cultural building. (Courtesy: Janet Cromwell)

Participants were as young as 10 and included new and experienced needle crafters.

“You don’t realize the amount of work and dedication required to pull something like that off,” says area councillor George Manzer. “It’s amazing what she and her friends have done over the last four or five months. It’s a testament to her dedication to the community.”

“It takes a village,” adds Cromwell. “I was maybe the lead on this, but it’s just getting everybody together and seeing people come out and wanting to help, to bring people back to remembrance.”

A group of people crocheting poppies at the legion in Weymouth, N.S., are pictured. (Courtesy: Janet Cromwell)

The yarn and display netting were donated by various businesses, with boxes of supplies still leftover. They’ll be used next year, says Cromwell, who plans on expanding their crocheted poppy display.

“My ultimate goal is to cover both sides of the bridge in Weymouth,” adds Cromwell. “Our bridge is 250-feet long. Two sides. That’s 500 feet. That’s a lot of poppies!”

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.