Remembrance Day poppy campaign begins with flowers pinned on mayor, Tk’emlups and RCMP reps

KAMLOOPS – The first Remembrance Day poppies were given out Wednesday (Oct. 25) in Kamloops, marking the start of this year’s poppy campaign.

The official poppy campaign will begin in earnest on Friday across Canada, as people will start seeing poppies on lapels around the city.

The first poppies of the 2023 poppy campaign were pinned to Mayor Reid Hamer Jackson, Tk’emlups Councillor Dave Manuel and the RCMP’s Cpl. Dana Napier.

The involvement of both Tk’emlups and the RCMP was a first for the Kamloops ceremony.

“I think it’s all about being everybody together,” Kamloops Legion President Daniel Martin told CFJC News. “To have a recognition of everybody working toward the same goal, and I think that’s important, we as a Legion and as the ANAVets, include everybody around us.”

Manuel said he hopes this is the beginning of a new tradition.

“We have many war veterans that have served in the war and this is a good way to be inclusive and to be able to honour them and their history,” Manuel explained.

All the funds raised in Kamloops during the poppy campaign are directed right back into the community.

“The poppy office is located at Campbell Square. Anybody can come down and we have wreaths for people that need it,” Martin explained. “We have poppies on location. We also have pins, so anybody who wants to volunteer can also come down and see what they can do if they want to help.”