To date, the Olds Royal Canadian Legion Branch #105 has collected just under $19,000 from its 2021 Poppy Campaign.
This reflects the same generosity as the local and surrounding communities have show in past years. We thank you all for your remembrance of our fallen soldiers and your support of the Poppy Fund itself.
Many of you have asked about the funds generated by our poppy sales and just how they are used. They are definitely not used for the general operation of our Legion branch. Below are excerpts from the Legion Magazine (Canvet Publications Ltd. November/December 2021 p. 29) and from one of our brochures All Your Answers on the Poppy Campaign, explaining the use of those funds.
Poppy funds are collected for the benefit of Canada's veterans, including members and former members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their families, who are in need. Funds can be used for the following:
• grants for food, heating costs, clothes, prescription medicine, appliances and equipment, essential homes repairs and emergency shelter;
• housing accommodation and care facilities for veterans;
• funds for veterans' transition programs that are directly related to the training, education and support of veterans and their families;
• comforts for veterans or their surviving spouses who are hospitalized or in long-term care facilities:
• veterans' visits, transportation or day trips;
• modifications to existing facilities to assist veterans with disabilities;
• bursaries for children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of veterans;
• support of cadet units;
• veterans' drop-in centres;
• community medical appliances, medical training and research which will assist in the care of veterans;
• supporting the work of the command service officers assisting veterans;
• relief of disasters declared by the federal or provincial governments; and
• administration and promotion of remembrance activities.
Any veteran, whether a Legion member or not, and their families are eligible for financial aid from the Poppy Fund.
David Clemens,
Olds
