A few of the things the annual Poppy Campaign funds or supports in the Saskatoon area are Legion Manor which is affordable housing for veterans 55 and older, Sherbrooke Village, which houses 40 veterans at the Sherbrooke Community Centre Care Home, individual vets’ needs through an application process, bursaries for students looking at coming in to the military and Paws for Vets, which funds service dogs for veterans with PTSD. The campaign launches Friday morning at 10 at the Nutana Legion.

Vice-Chair of the Poppy Campaign, Donna Flahr says it is run every year jointly by the three Saskatoon Legion Branches and the Army, Navy & Airforce Veterans club. She invites everyone to come to the launch, and adds that they are always looking for volunteers to help out with the campaign, noting they need between 350 and 400 volunteers each year.

Flahr says the Poppies will be available at many businesses and organizations, and even more so on Saturday, because it’s Cadet Tag Day. The cadets go out to individual businesses where they have permission, and they will be looking for donations outside these businesses, and handing out Poppies. All proceeds remain in the Greater Saskatoon area.

Every year millions of Canadians wear a Poppy as a visual pledge to never forget those who served and sacrificed.