As Airdrie prepares for an unusual Remembrance Day disrupted by COVID-19, the Royal Canadian Legion’s Airdrie Branch 288 hopes families will spread the poppy in a creative way.
According to Shawnee Hoffman, Entertainment and Ways and Means Officer, the Legion is encouraging individuals and families to create their own poppies to display this November through the Spread the Poppy Airdrie initiative. Hoffman said the idea came after a member of the Legion saw social media posts of poppies painted on rocks. The Legion quickly adopted the idea.
“We’re literally trying to think of anything creative we can do to push poppies around the city,” Hoffman said.
According to Hoffman, the poppy is widely recognized in Canada, Britain and Australia as a symbol of remembrance. Wearing a poppy is meant to display respect for veterans and Canada’s fallen military personnel.
“The most significant thing it represents was the blood that was shed by soldiers in all the wars,” Hoffman said.
Because of COVID-19, Hoffman said, the Legion is unable to offer its usual number of poppy donation boxes or poppy tables. The craft initiative is another way to bring the poppy to Airdrie, although Hoffman emphasized she encourages Airdronians to still go out and buy a poppy, as doing so helps raise funds for the Legion to support local veterans.
Hoffman invited Airdronians to handcraft poppies by painting rocks, cutting and colouring paper plates or painting a poppy directly on a window. Once complete, the poppies can be shared on social media using #spreadthepoppy, #supportourveterans and #airdrielegionbranch288
If painting a rock, Hoffman said it’s important to select one with a smooth, paintable surface. The rock should be cleaned with soap and water so that paint adheres to its face.
“You can prime them if you like,” she said. “I’ve painted right on them. Some people like their colours to pop a little more.”
After painting on the rocks, Hoffman recommends coating them with shellac or a varathane finish so it stands up to the elements while outside.
Other craft ideas suggested by Hoffman included cutting a paper plate or newspaper in the shape of a poppy and painting it red with a black centre. If painting directly on a window, Hoffman recommended using tempera or acrylic paint, which can be easily cleaned off.
“This doesn’t have to be expensive,” Hoffman said. “We want to see how creative you can get with it. We want to look up and see those poppies in the window or look down and see them in the grass.”
Hoffman said this isn’t only a great way to show support for veterans, but also provides an opportunity for families to have conversations about the significance of Remembrance Day.
“When they do things like this, they talk about it,” she said. “Kids ask questions. I find our kids just don’t know as much as they should these days. Maybe this triggers some questions and they will learn something.”
For families who are homeschooling or learning online, Hoffman suggested spending some time painting or making poppies could fill the gap that would normally be occupied by a school’s Remembrance Day ceremony.
Hoffman said she hopes to see the handmade poppies displayed in windows around Airdrie and the painted rocks placed at local monuments like the cenotaph at the Town and Country Centre or the LAV III monument in front of Nose Creek Valley Museum.
“Those are the two places we’d like these creations – especially the rocks – to be placed so that when we look down, we’ll see them and they’re kind of there all the time,” she said.
Hoffman added the poppies can also be placed at the Legion, although she noted they’re preferred to be at the monuments.
Ben Sherick, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @BenSherick
