Langley may not longer have Royal Canadian Legion Branch 21 but Legion Command still wants to sell poppies here.
Legion B.C./Yukon Command told the branch to close at the end of May after years of it struggling to bring in enough money to cover expenses and faced with an aging membership.
In August, Command contacted Wilma McEwan about doing a poppy campaign for Langley. She had been approached by the Cloverdale and Aldergrove legion branches about helping with their poppy campaigns.
McEwan ran the Branch 21 poppy campaign since 2000, fashioning it into one of Canada’s top legion poppy fundraisers. She and her cadre of volunteers would typically sell about 120,000 poppies as well as wreaths and memorial arrangements to local politicians, community groups and businesses for annual services.
“Over $91,000 was raised last year,” she said. “We’ll have to work like heck to get that this year.”
When the Langley branch closed, it was assumed that neighbouring branches would pick up the slack but they were unable to add to their own poppy campaigns.
McEwan said there’s one reason why she agreed to run a poppy campaign.
“Because I care about the veterans. That’s the only reason I’m doing it,” she said.
McEwan is putting out the call for help from the community.
“We’re just going to need lots of volunteers,” she said.
Poppy sales will take place Oct. 26 to Nov. 10, which is when the bulk of the volunteer help would be needed.
Supplies have been ordered since everything Branch 21 had, such as coin boxes, was no longer available. McEwan said food donations to feed the volunteers would also be very appreciated.
The campaign will be based out of the former legion branch at 20681 56th Ave. The office can be reached at 236-887-2098.
McEwan said orders can be taken for wreaths and arrangements. There will be a service in Douglas Park on Nov. 11, but details have not been finalized yet.
Poppy sales proceeds can only be used to support veterans, and she’s been assured that the funds will go into the account for Branch 21 to be used for local support. In the past, the funds have supported equipment at Langley Memorial Hospital, Langley Lodge and other facilities as well as other local initiatives.
“[The money is] supposed to stay in your own community,” she explained.