Saskatoon poppy campaign to resume on schedule

With Remembrance Day fast approaching, Royal Canadian Legions across the province are preparing for the annual poppy campaign, albeit with some minor changes this year.

Joining the usual tub sitting on the counter at a local business will be e-transfers and drive-through campaigns as additional and safe ways to donate and receive a poppy.

Rose-Mary Ferguson, the vice president at the Nutana Legion said these new ideas are needed with COVID-19 making any fundraising efforts uncertain.

“This is one of the main dependencies we’re going to have throughout our campaign this year,” she said.

Ferguson said there is plenty of work happening to increase corporate sponsors leading up to Remembrance Day.

A drive-through day will also join the new-look campaign on Halloween. A person can enter the parking lot, drop their money in the donation box and grab a poppy at the exit.

Some malls across the city aren’t allowing the Royal Canadian Legion to set up a booth or table for donations, but Ferguson said the group will still have a presence wherever possible.

“Throughout all of this and wherever we’re going to be, we will be covering all the directives we’ve (received) from the Saskatchewan Health Authority,” she said.

“Everybody is going to be with their PPE, and we are going to make sure all of our volunteers are well looked after with hand sanitizer, masks, sanitizing wipes — whatever they need.”

Ferguson wanted to remind anyone reading stories from Eastern Canada that cash will still be accepted as a donation for any poppy across the city.

“We know what directives we need to do and how to handle the cash afterwards,” she said. “We’re on top of it.”