The Royal Canadian Legions 2020 Poppy Campaign begins on October 30 and runs until November 11.

“Though many Canadians are struggling during this pandemic the Veterans, past and present, need your help and support now more than ever,” says poppy campaign chairperson, Tom Flockhart.

He says any support will help the Veterans throughout the entire year.

Their “tagging” locations (where volunteers stand and sell you your Poppy) have been drastically reduced this year due to the pandemic with several corporations choosing not to allow us to partake in this endeavour, Flockhart warns.

People can buy their poppy as usual at the No-Frills store at Lake Shore and Browns Line from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Volunteer Gord Noseworthy has been selling Poppies at the store for years and is there for the campaign.

The other tagging location is at Sherway Gardens in the atrium by the escalator. At the Sherway location there will be Poppy related items for sale such as masks, lapel pins, earrings and brooches.

The Sherway booth will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon. to Sat and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Volunteers will be masked, shields will be in place, hand sanitizer will be available for volunteers and customers and tables, chairs, shields etc. will be sanitized on a regular basis.

In the past we have had up to five volunteers staffing the booth at Sherway as well as a few of our Veteran members standing throughout the mall selling Poppies, he says.

However, due to the pandemic, we are restricted to two volunteers only this year.

This, according to Flockhart, has really upset two Veteran volunteers Eric Lindsay, 95, and Stan McGowan, 90, as they too have been doing this for several years but showed up to volunteer when and if they felt like it. As we are restricted to two volunteers this year, they won’t be allowed to do that.

Poppy donation boxes will be available in several locations throughout Long Branch, Alderwood, New Toronto and Mimico and people will be able to purchase Poppies in the shops or businesses that they have gotten them in the past.

Also planned is  a “Pop-Up” sale of Poppy themed goods on October 31 or November 1.

Residents are asked to carry some cash if they are going to purchase a Poppy as less people are carrying cash these days, they warn.