The chair of the local Royal Canadian Legion poppy campaign is thrilled after tallying up donations from this years fundraiser.
An astounding $84,699.74 was raised this year, exclaimed Sherry Boudreau, who is also an executive member of Branch 88 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Maple Ridge.
“We raised $4000 more than last year,” she said.
Last year a little more than $83,824.14 was raised, and was comparable to the amount raised in 2021 of $84,529.73.
Locally money raised goes to support veterans and also the local charities within communities that have a legion branch.
“We had a wonderful turnout of volunteers for Maple Ridge,” noted Boudreau, thanking the Maple Ridge fire department, in addition to the Cubs, Scouts, Ridge Meadows Rustlers, and the local air, army, and sea cadets, for helping with the campaign.
However, she said, more volunteers were needed in Pitt Meadows.
The poppy is Canada’s symbol of remembrance for fallen military and RCMP veterans and is the biggest fundraiser for the legion.
Branch 88 has already made donations to the Ridge Meadows Hospital Foundation, PAWS – an organization that provides support dogs to veterans and first responders, and the George Derby Centre – a 300 bed intermediate care facility for former veterans of the armed forces vetted by Veterans Affairs Canada – for a bus, amongst other organizations.
“Thank you to the entire community for coming together and supporting the Maple Ridge Legion Branch 88,” said Boudreau.
“I am looking forward to next year.”