Handmade Poppies to line Orangeville’s Clocktower ahead of Remembrance Day

Oct 24th, 2022
By rwhelan

Handmade Poppies to line Orangeville’s Clocktower ahead of Remembrance Day

 

What began as a grassroots project in early 2022 has grown beyond expectation as the Orangeville Public Library’s Poppy Project prepares to begin the final stages next week. 

Created in collaboration between community leader Laura Austin, the library, and the Royal Canadian Legion Col. Fitzgerald Branch 233, members of the community have been invited over the past several months to contribute crochet and knit poppies, which will cover the Town of Orangeville’s clock tower on Broadway. 

“It’s been absolutely incredible to see the excitement and passion of the community around this project,” said Darla Fraser, CEO, Orangeville Public Library. “We have so many poppies, and they just keep coming in. This will be a truly inspirational and beautiful tribute in our downtown to service members past, present and future.”

The installation is still over a week away, but the project has exceeded their target of 2022 handmade poppies, and more continue to come in. 

It’s been more than just individual members of the community who have stepped up to provide poppies – many community organizations including church groups, the Lord Dufferin Centre, local seniors groups, Orange thREADS, horticultural society, and local Brownies and Scouts have donated as part of this incredible project.

On October 25 from 3 to 6:30 p.m. a community event will be hosted at the Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre to attach the panels that will be displayed on the clock tower on Broadway. Community volunteers and community organizations will be assisting during the event. 

Information will be made available in the coming weeks as to when the panels will be installed onto the clock tower downtown. 

Members of the media are invited to attend next Tuesday’s event as the project begins to take shape. Please RSVP to Mallory Cunnington at: mcunnington@orangeville.ca.