Mixed emotion as pandemic stifles celebrations for poppy centennial

• Limited Remembrance Day events this year
• Kelowna Legion hopeful donations better this year than last

As poppies go out across the country, it is a special but difficult year for veteran organizations as the poppy turns 100.

“It is a big celebration year and I’m sad to say it’s still in pandemic mode,” John Cashin told Kelowna10. He is the president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 26 and the poppy chairman.

“We’re not having a service at the cenotaph and that’ll hurt because we get big crowds in Kelowna."

In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the legion saw a drastic financial impact with a $40,000 drop in donations.

The organization was unable to leverage help from cadets, who are a big help in collecting donations. Other restrictions like gathering and hour limits impacted donations.

In 2019, the Kelowna legion brought in around $213,000. Last year, they managed around $160,000, crediting the generosity of the community in raising more than Cashin expected.

Funds raised from poppies go to non-profit endeavors like veterans’ assistance for those injured in combat, scholarships for vets and current serving members, the KGH Foundation and the cadet corps.

Cashin said Remembrance Day is very important to he and his family, as a grandfather and three uncles serviced in the Second World War and the Korean war.

"Thankfully they all came home,” Cashin said.

It’s also an important occasion for Greg Vasey, who’s been a member of the legion for seven years. He had grandfathers who fought in both world wars.

“Being this year is the one hundredth anniversary of the poppy, we’re really hoping that people will come out and support us. We just hope that we can at least break the record we set two years ago,” Vasey said.