Legion can’t safely host vets
Remembrance Day will look different in West Kelowna this year — from poppy sales to Nov. 11 ceremonies — as the Westbank Legion responds to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There will be no large Remembrance Day service at Royal LePage Place.
Instead, the Legion will host a Remembrance Day service at its own location that will not be open to the public.
Wreaths from those who normally purchase arrangements to lay at the ceremony will be laid at the Legion’s own cenotaph before the service.
Many aspects of the service will remain the same, with the guards and the colour party; however, there will be no veterans.
“They’re just too vulnerable,” said Anne Fox, president of the Westbank Legion branch 288.
If a veteran contacts Fox through the Westbank Legion and wants to come, Fox said she will find room for him.
“I’m not going to turn them down if they want to come,” she said.
People who want to buy a wreath because they can’t attend the service this year can email legion288@shaw.ca.
Fox will get back to them with prices and payment instructions.
Although the service will not be open to the public, Fox said they are working to broadcast the event.
“We’re trying our best to livestream it so we don’t leave the public out,” she said.
There have also been changes to poppy tagging this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Poppy tagging, or sales, take place from Oct. 30 to Nov. 10.
Local Legion volunteers will only be at four Westside locations this year — Walmart, Superstore, Home Depot and Save-On Foods.
The poppy taggers will have a table set up with the tray and the poppy person will be sitting in a chair.
They will probably get up and hand people a poppy using a pair of tongs, said Fox. Hand sanitizer will be available.
In past years, Air Cadets, Navy
League, Girl Guides and Scouts have helped with the poppy campaign; however, no children will be helping this year.
Legion leaders don’t expect to know until Oct. 30 how many businesses will take poppy trays this year.
With changes to the poppy campaign, Fox said she’s afraid the Westbank Legion won’t raise the same amount of money as it has in past years.
The Westbank Legion typically makes between $40,000 and $45,000 between Oct. 30 and Nov. 10.
A drop in the amount of money raised during the poppy campaign would mean the Legion’s bursaries could be in jeopardy next year because they’ll have to save some of that money for veterans in need.
The Westbank Legion is selling nonmedical poppy masks as well this year. The popular masks cost $10 each and are available in small and large sizes.
The Westbank Legion has already sold out of about 80 masks and Fox has placed an order for another 60 masks, which are expected to arrive about Nov. 5.
Money raised from poppy masks sold at the Westbank Legion goes into their general account, while money from the sale of masks purchased online goes to the national legion.
People can watch the Westbank Legion’s Facebook page at RCL288 Westbank for updates about livestreaming the Remembrance Day service as well as updates on the masks.
The Legion usually donates money to a number of community groups through its gaming fund, with the money raised through meat draws; however, because the Legion is limited to how many people can attend its events, the amount of money raised is lower than usual.
While Fox said the Westbank Legion doesn’t know where they are at with donations to community groups this year, she said members of the Westbank Legion have stepped up unbelievably.
“They’re making sure that we at least cover our costs, so I want to give a huge shout out to our members,”