Total donations to this year’s campaign as of November 22, 2023, are $21,816.15. Our goal was $20,000 so we exceeded our goal by 9%. We are extremely grateful to all those individuals, organizations, associations, and entities which donated to our campaign. Pelham is an amazing community, and we thank everyone for their generosity.

Campaign expenses amounted to $3,719.71. Expenses include the purchase of poppies, poppy bracelets, poppy centers, poppy pins, poppy stickers, coin boxes and trays, inscribed ribbons for wreaths, stamps for postage, coin wrappers, awards for the Poster and Literary contest winners and cadets luncheon costs for canvassing on October 29, 2023. Shipping costs and HST also form part of the expenses.

Our Remembrance Day service was very well attended.  We estimate that between 550 and 600 people attended the service and this total represents a high mark for attendance in Veterans Park. We thank the citizens of Pelham and surrounding areas for taking the time to attend the service and honour our Veterans. We also thank all the Remembrance Day service participants for their contributions to our service including our sound technician. The feedback we have received about the service has been very positive.

Once again, the staff and students of Niagara College’s, Broadcasting, Radio, Television and Film (BRTF) program live-streamed our service, enabling those who wished to watch the service from the comforts of their home, office, or elsewhere to do so.

Forty-five wreaths were laid in Veterans Park prior to the November 11^th service. Wreaths were also placed at Centennial Park in Fenwick, at the Ridgeville cenotaph and at the memorial in Peace Park for Remembrance Day observance.  On November 8^th, we also placed a wreath at the cenotaph in Veteran’s Park and had a ceremony to recognize Indigenous Veterans Day. We thank all those who sponsored a wreath during this year’s campaign.

The Veterans Banner program continues to grow in popularity. This year, there were banners on the utility poles honouring 61 veterans along Pelham Street, Pelham Town Square, Summersides Blvd., and Wellspring Way. We already have interest from 5 new families wishing to participate in the banner program beginning next year.

This year’s edition of the Poster and Literary contest was also very successful. With 66 entries from the students of five schools, the judges had a challenging time choosing between the submissions. In addition to the students, we thank the parents and teachers for encouraging participation in the contest. Postcards made by students were also handed out to Veterans attending our November 11^th service. What a wonderful way to honour our Veterans.

Finally, all of this cannot be achieved without the help of many, including the Poppy Campaign volunteers, our Lincoln and Welland Regiment cadets and their supervisors, the Ladies Auxilliary who actively canvassed on October 29^th, the Niagara College staff and students, Remembrance Day service participants, Town of Pelham staff, Niagara Region staff, those individuals who assisted in the donation counting, the House and Grounds volunteers and our Kitchen staff who came in very early on November 11^th, to prepare a breakfast for those assisting with the Remembrance Day service. Special mention to Jean Lalonde for tracking all donations and expenses during the campaign.

Good things happen when volunteers are committed to a cause and as Chair of this campaign, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all who made this 2023 campaign a very successful and memorable one.

Jim Garner
2023 Poppy Chair

Branch members have been meeting regularly since late August developing and finalizing our plans for the annual Poppy campaign and Remembrance Day service. 

We know that in previous years in late October and early November, the citizens of Pelham have pinned a poppy to their lapels and then on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, they have paused for two minutes to honour and remember those who have served and continue to serve our country. For that, our Branch members and especially our veterans say, “thank you.”

This year, our Remembrance Day service will take place on November 11th, 2023, beginning at 10:45 a.m., in Veterans Park on Legion grounds. We invite the residents of Pelham to attend our service once again. If you wish to watch our service in the comfort of your home, the service will be livestreamed courtesy of Niagara College’s students and staff from the Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film (BRTF) program. The live stream link is https://livestream.com/accounts/15502389/events/10989390. Weather permitting, there will be a fly-by during the service, sponsored by our town of Pelham.

Our annual Poppy campaign encompasses the period of October 27th to November 11th inclusive. Members of the planning committee will be distributing approximately 150 Poppy boxes to businesses and organizations throughout the Town. We are also pleased to announce that Sobeys franchisee, Ron Kore will be this year’s Poppy Campaign kick-off sponsor. Mr. Kore and Mayor Junkin will receive the first poppies of the campaign in a pinning ceremony that will take place on October 27th in Veterans Park beginning at 9:00 a.m.

We are asking the citizens of Pelham for your continuing support of our Poppy campaign which raises funds to sustain a variety of programs and initiatives to assist veterans and their families as well as sponsoring cadet and youth programs and making available bursaries for the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of our veterans. We also make financial donations to entities like Camp Maple Leaf, a not-for-profit sleepover camp for children of military families; the Homeless Veterans program, the Lincoln and Welland Regiment army cadets, the Niagara Health Foundation, and the Juravinski Cancer Centre through our Poppy Fund. More information on the uses of the Poppy Fund can be found at www.on.legion.ca.

If you are inclined to support our campaign in 2023 without accessing the Poppy collection boxes, you can send us a cheque payable to the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 613. We also accept payment at our Branch via cash, credit card or debit card. You can also donate by using e-transfer at br613rcl@cogeco.net. Under the “comments” section, please insert “Poppy Fund donation.” Please note the best time to visit the Branch is between the hours of 12:00 p.m., to 7:00 p.m., each calendar day. Finally, there are two “Poppy tap boxes” available for use during this year’s campaign. They will be in Sobeys in Fonthill and Devries Farm Market in Fenwick.

On October 10th, Town of Pelham staff hung our Veterans banners on the light poles in the downtown core, along Meridian Way and Summersides Boulevard. This year, we will have 61 veterans being honoured on these banners. The banners will remain in place until after Remembrance Day. Legion members encourage you to drive around our Town and view these banners. As always, we are thankful for the Town’s commitment to our Veterans banner program.

Legion members will also be laying wreaths for Remembrance Day at the cenotaphs in Peace Park, Ridgeville and in Centennial Park in Fenwick. We are pleased to advise that Town staff will be attending to these cenotaphs and providing horticultural upgrades and beautification services to each in time for November 11th. Again, we thank the Town staff and council for their ongoing support.

Finally, on November 8th, Branch 613 will lay a wreath at the cenotaph in Veterans Park in honour of Indigenous veterans during a ceremony that takes place beginning at 11:00 a.m.

On behalf of all our veterans, we thank you in advance for your continuing support of our Poppy campaign, Remembrance Day service and related activities.

Best regards,
Members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 613