Poppy volunteers are out in full force this month
A team of taggers continue to collect money for local veterans
Kees Vandenberg, who served in the Canadian peacekeeping forces from 1955 to 1971 was offering poppies at Haney Place Mall, just one of 10 shifts he’s signed up for. Poppy taggers will be around Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows until Nov. 10, including Sundays. Money donated to the poppy campaign supports local veterans.
Photograph by: Maria Rantanen , TIMES
The first poppy donation figures have come in, and as of Monday afternoon almost $25,000 had been raised for veterans in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.
About $22,000 was collected in different public venues, while the trays in businesses throughout the community have brought in almost $3,000 so far.
Volunteers will continue to collect donations in various locations throughout the two neighbouring municipalities seven days a week up until Remembrance Day.
There are about 100 volunteers collecting donations, said poppy campaign chair Gail Springer.
Some do one shift, others do several, and a few go out every day.
"Some of them are really dedicated," said Springer who is in her fourth year as poppy chair.
But Springer said the campaign could use more help.
Anyone who wants to collect donations can pick up a tray from the legion's Fireside Lounge and do a shift.
"[The campaign] is doing well," said legion president Jim MacDonald.
This year, poppy taggers have been out on Sundays as well.
Poppy donations will be collected from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
Poppy donations can be made at IGA, Superstore, Signature Liquor Store, and Canadian Tire in Pitt Meadows.
In west Maple Ridge, taggers are at Safeway and Save-On-Foods.
Volunteers are at other Maple Ridge locations as well, including Extra Foods, Thrifty's, Haney Place Mall, London Drugs, the liquor store and Save-On-Foods at Valley Fair Mall, and at Cooper's at Dewdney Trunk Road and 240th Street.
Last year, the poppy campaign organized by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 88, which covers Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, collected about $61,000 in donations.
Money collected during the poppy campaign goes to help veterans in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. Last year money also went to a Canada-wide legion program that helped veterans coming back from the Afghan war.
Some money is also donated to the Ridge Meadows Hospital.
Donors can also text Poppy 20222 to make a $5 donation to the B.C./Yukon poppy fund.
