New sticker poppies are catching on
05.11.2008 21:03
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- Source: cbc.ca
 Legionnaires are distributing poppy stickers along with the traditional lapel pins this year.(CBC)A new addition to the Royal Canadian Legion's poppy campaign aims to help keep the sacred symbol of remembrance on the lapels of all Canadians.
The legion introduced a sticker of the red flower, which mirrors the standard lapel pin in size and colour, for the first time in 2007. During last year's campaign, about 400,000 of the sticker poppies were distributed in Canada, said Steven Clark, an administrative officer with the Royal Canadian Legion's Dominion Command. About 19.1 million conventional lapel poppies were distributed. Interest in the new style of poppies has been growing this year, Clark said. The sticker, which is produced by the same company that has held the contract for the velvety pins since 1996, was designed with children, the elderly and those working in health care and the food service industry in mind, Clark said. Dominion Command had heard from several people in health care and the food industry who had indicated they would like to wear a poppy as a sign of respect in the days leading up to Remembrance Day but were unable to because of the risk the pin may fall off unnoticed, he said. "They just couldn't chance getting it into a food product or worse," he said. Clark said teachers and nursing homes also indicated young children and the elderly often struggled with the lapel pins. Huge demand from schools The Royal Canadian Legion is receiving many inquiries about the new poppy sticker from schools.(Robin Rowland/CBC)The Belleville, Ont., poppy fund committee ordered 2,000 of the stickers, said campaign volunteer Ross Cummings.
It's the first time the local campaign introduced the sticker, and when schools got wind of their availability, the phone calls started streaming in, Cummings said. "The teachers like them, especially for the lower grades," he said. Teachers told volunteers that students in the younger grades had a habit of taking the lapel poppies apart, putting the pins in their mouths or poking themselves and others with the pins, Cummings said. "They're safer for the kids, for one thing," he said. Belleville ran out of stickers on Tuesday, and more won't be available before Nov. 11, he said. The Belleville campaign distributes poppies to about 20 local schools and handed out a mix of lapel pins and stickers this year, Cummings said. Next year the campaign will be ordering even more stickers because of the response. Remembrance symbol since 1921The new stickers are designed to be applied to clothing. Though the labelling recommends they not be used on leather, suede, silk or fine wool, such as angora, and that the product be removed within 30 days. Canadians should be able to get the sticker from any legionnare distributing poppies or at local legion branches, Clark said. The poppy was adopted as a symbol of remembrance in 1921, and the pins have been distributed in Canada since 1922. Clark declined to disclose on how much it costs to produce the pins versus the stickers but said poppies are purposely designed to maximize fundraising potential. Will not replace lapel pinThe sticker is not intended to replace the lapel poppy, he added. Dominion Command prefers to see Canadians wear a poppy rather than not, Clark said, and is trying to provide options for all ages and professions to honour war veterans. "It is a very good item for the people it's intended for, but it is not the intent to ever replace the lapel poppy. The choice would always be yours," he said. Metal pins, wreathes and poppies designed specifically for display in vehicles and on tables are also available through the legion. The most recent revenue figures, which are for 2006, indicate the campaign raised $16.5 million in that year. Canadians are asked to provide a donation each time they pick up a poppy from a Legionnaire. The average donation is about $1, according to the Legion, but any donation is acceptable. Revenue collected from the annual poppy campaign is used to assist ex-servicemen and servicewomen and their families with medical needs, housing and food. RelatedInternal LinksCross-continent vigil revives stories of fallen soldiersPoppy Man tours war zone to launch Remembrance Day appealPolice try to deter poppy box thievesConsumer HeadlinesMaple Leaf appoints food safety chiefTrying to recover from a listeria outbreak at one of its meat plants, Maple Leaf Foods Inc. said Wednesday it has appointed a chief food safety officer.RRSP contributions rose 5.3 % in 2007: Statistics CanadaAlmost 6.3 million tax filers contributed to their registered retirement savings plans in 2007, up 1.6 per cent from 2006, Statistics Canada said Wednesday. 'Tis the season for cancelling corporate partiesCalgary party planners say companies are scaling back or cancelling Christmas gatherings because they don't want to be seen as being excessive in this shaky financial climate.Oil prices drop sharply as U.S. supplies increaseOil prices fell sharply Wednesday after the U.S. government's Energy Information Administration said stockpiles of distillates, such as home heating oil, increased by 1.2 million barrels, while gasoline supplies were up by 1.2 million barrels. New sticker poppies are catching onA new addition to the Royal Canadian Legion's poppy campaign aims to help keep the scared symbol of remembrance on the lapels of all Canadians. Consumer Life FeaturesECONOMYGeographyWorld's next great cities CONSUMERAuto salesHow to avoid car buyers' remorseSAFETYRecalls and AdvisoriesBLOGFood BytesTightening the belt before dinnerMOBILE TECHNOLOGYNotebook computersCheap versus chic laptopsCOMM-ODDITIESAuctionOzark cave owner turns to eBay in search of a bidderPeople who read this also read …
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