Irene Brown is one of thousands of volunteers across Canada who are part of the Royal Canadian Legion poppy drive that started last weekend.
Brown, a past president of the Port Coquitlam Legion and the poppy campaign chair, said Branch 133 brought in $46,000 last year through campaign, with proceeds benefitting programs for the youth, seniors, disabled and veterans.
Fabric and sticker poppies are available by donation until Sunday, Nov. 8; anyone wanting to take a two-hour shift to help out can call their Legion branch (for PoCo, 604-942-8911; Coquitlam, 604-937-0111; Port Moody, 604-936-1312).
Meanwhile, PoCo Legion members, who last Monday received a proclamation from Mayor Greg Moore and city council to declare Nov. 5 to 11 Veterans Week, will be at the BC Lions game on Saturday, Nov. 7 for a Remembrance Day halftime show.
••••••••••••••••••
If you see painted poppies in the grass around Coquitlam, it will most likely be the handiwork of the city’s Park Spark team.
For the second year, the group will paint lawns near the cenotaph in honour of those who served.
And just in time for Remembrance Day, it’s expanding the program to include three more sites: outside the Poirier branch of Coquitlam Public Library, Spirit Square (across from city hall) and at Lougheed Highway and Dewdney Trunk Road.
You can take part in the Park Spark activities at:
• Blue Mountain Park at Veteran’s Way on Nov. 5 (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.), Nov. 6 (3 to 4:30 p.m.), Nov. 7 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Nov. 8 (1 to 4 p.m.);
• Poirier community centre (630 Poirier St.) on Nov. 6 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.);
• Spirit Square (3000 Burlington Dr.) on Nov. 9 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.);
• and Dewdney Trunk and Lougheed Highway (on the grass boulevard) on Nov. 8 (9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.) and Nov. 9 (2 to 4 p.m.).
As well, the volunteers will tie yellow ribbons — with messages of hope and peace — along Veteran’s Way; the ribbons will be up until Nov. 18.
•••••••••••••••••••
SERVICES ON NOV. 11
Services will be held in the Tri-Cities on Remembrance Day (Wednesday, Nov. 11):
COQUITLAM
• 9:30 a.m.: Legion Branch 263 starts ceremony at Como Lake middle school (1121 King Albert Ave.)
• 10 a.m.: Legion members parade along Winslow Avenue to the cenotaph on Veterans’ Way
• 10:40 a.m.: Service begins
• 11:30 a.m.: Veterans, police and firefighters parade to the Legion branch (1025 Ridgeway Ave.).
PORT COQUITLAM
• 9:30 a.m.: Legion Branch 133 hosts an indoor service at Wilson Centre (2150 Wilson Ave.)
• 10:15 a.m.: Veterans and members parade along Wilson Avenue to the cenotaph at city hall
• 10:55 a.m.: Service begins at Veterans Park (at city hall)
• noon: Legion open house (children welcome); Wilson Centre reception for families
PORT MOODY
• 10 a.m.: Legion Branch 119 hosts a non-denominational service at Kyle Centre (125 Kyle St.)
• 10:30 a.m.: Form up at Legion and parade to cenotaph (2513 Clarke St.)
• 11 a.m.: Service begins (21-gun cannon salute, Swiftbird ex-RAF team cenotaph flyover)
• 12:30 to 7 p.m.: Entertainment at Kyle Centre (adults only)
[email protected]
