Letter: Buying poppies the least we can do

With Remembrance Day upon us, I was speaking with some volunteers about the Legion’s Red Poppy campaign. I remember as a very young child, my grandmother standing out on very cold days, dressed in her best, with the poppy box hanging around her neck, waiting patiently for change.

She would always say, “thank you for supporting our vets” while pinning a brilliant red poppy to a lapel.

Forty years later, the tradition continues.

The sentiment and respect, however, is clearly lacking. One of the volunteers I spoke with mentioned some businesses were refusing to host a poppy box and have no interest in doing so.

One business refused to have a box while a customer was standing there. That customer cancelled their transaction, saying they would take their business elsewhere. Whether you agree with the political reasons behind the conflict, especially in recent years, our veterans are sadly lacking in support.

This one time each year when we drop a few coins in a box perhaps in honour of a member of our family or a stranger who fought in a war or conflict, is an opportunity to raise meagre funds to help veterans with necessary medical care and other supports.

To refuse to help for a week or so is, to me, shameful.

Please support our veterans.

If you look at recent news stories about suicides among veterans of recent confrontations, these few dollars we drop in the box may go toward programs to help with PTSD, medical care, career supports and more.

It’s the least we can do.

Sue Horvath
Lively