Beaver Staff
Greater Napanee has proclaimed Sept. 19-25 as Legion Week, joining other communities across the province in recognizing the work of local Legions.
This year marks 40 years of Legion Week being held in Ontario. Though it will be very different this year with COVID restrictions in place, Napanee Legion Branch 137 continues to support veterans and their families and is open and fully operational.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Remembrance Poppy in Canada. Inspired by John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields”, Madame Anna Guerin (the Poppy Lady from France) adopted the distribution of the poppy on Armistice Day as a way to raise money for veterans in need and to remember those who had given their lives during WWI.
In July of 1921, the Great War Veterans Association (which in 1925 would unify with other 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, and every November, Canadians wear the poppy to honour those who fought for our country.
To celebrate this 100th anniversary, the Royal Canadian Legion has produced this commemorative poppy, a pin reminiscent of the first Remembrance Poppy that was distributed after the First World War. This commemorative fabric pin is available for a limited time at Branch 137 or directly through the Royal Canadian Legion online Poppy Store.
Napanee Royal Canadian Legion Branch 137. Photo by Adam Prudhomme.
The Legion is a non-profit organization assuming the responsibility of maintaining the tradition of remembrance of those who paid the supreme sacrifice by defending our great nation in past and present conflicts so that Canadians can live in the freedom they enjoy today. The money raised during the Poppy Campaign, which officially starts on Oct. 29 is used to support veterans and their families.
With funding from the Lennox and Addington Community Foundation, and in collaboration with Sean Beek of Beek Designs, Branch 137 has been able to add an additional 13 double-sided Veteran’s banners to the existing 33 veteran’s banners that were completed in Phase 1. These banners will be on display in downtown Napanee and the Strathcona Paper Centre throughout the Remembrance Day period.
Although the Legion has been unable to hold some of their usual fundraising events and many activities have been curtailed, they continue to offer Friday lunches. Summer Friday barbecues ended last week, however hot meals start up on Sept. 24.
Branch 137 has an open mixed darts night on Thursdays starting at 8 p.m. upstairs in Perrin Hall. Anyone can join in.
Legion membership is open to anyone either online or in person at the Branch. Membership is $55 and everyone is welcome to join. There is a special one year free membership for veterans available online at legion.ca.