The idea of using poppies to commemorate the war dead began in France, where the red flowers grew on the graves of soldiers. The famous poem In Flanders Fields, written by Canadian doctor John McCrae during the First World War, helped make the poppy a symbol of remembrance, especially in Canada. “In Flanders Fields the poppies blow/between the crosses, row on row…” Canadians have worn them since the early 1920s to remind us of the horrors of war and to remember those who have died.
The poppies were made by the veterans themselves from 1922 to 1997 as part of a “Vetcraft” program to find work for unemployed, disabled vets. The Royal Canadian Legion is now in charge, and the poppies are made at a company in Ottawa
The legion owns the Canadian trademark on the poppy and collects millions of dollars every year from the poppy campaign.
In 2012 a knitting group in Fredericton started stitching together poppies, with the intention of selling them to raise funds for the Royal Canadian Legion. Even though they raised hundreds of dollars, once the legion got wind of the project they asked the knitting circle to stop The woman honoured the legion’s wishes. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t have come to an agreement out of this,” said knitter Trish Campbell. “I think there isn’t a Canadian knitter out there who wouldn’t knit a poppy and donate it to the legion.”
Bob Maxwell, of the legion’s Poppy and Remembrance Committee, in a telephone interview. said the legion had a suggestion for the women, to still use their stitching skills to help vets.
“The idea came up that possibly their talents could be used to even more benefit, in providing scarves and mitts and so on which are really needed for veterans this time of year,” he said
But the story has sent the organization into damage control, with many people on social media sites saying the legion should be thankful that people are trying to help.
I myself will buy a poppy to support the legions efforts but I am also going to knit a couple of poppies to put in the sun visor of my car and to put up in the shop. For those of you who would like to do the same here is a poppy pattern
During the month of October all the Sit and Knit monies collected will be given to the Alliston District Humane Society for the purchase of cat food.
Please come out and support a great cause.
Our Sit and Knit times are as follows:
Tuesday: 10:30 am until 2:30 pm
Thursday: 10:30 am until 2:30 pm
Friday: 7 pm until 9 pm
Saturday: 1 pm until 4 pm
*the information in this article was inpart supplied by : http://globalnews.ca/news/307184/legion-does-damage-control-after-stopping-knitting-circles-poppy-project/
