Jim Garner wished that his friend and fellow Legion member Jake Dilts could have been there as the Fonthill branch kicked off its annual Poppy campaign on Friday.
“People don't know this, but Jake was the zone Poppy Chair for over 20 years, and he would have been here today up front with a smile on his face,” said Garner, second vice-president for the Royal Canadian Legion Br. 613. “Jake was a treasured citizen of the Town of Pelham, and he did volunteer work – thousands and thousands of hours over all these years, so we're indebted for Jake’s service, and we're really going to miss him here.”
Dilts passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the age of 85. A memorial service will be held at Pelham Funeral Home, 1292 Pelham St., this coming Thursday, Oct. 30, at 11 a.m.
The goal for this year’s Poppy campaign is to raise $22,000 to support several programs and initiatives to assist veterans, sponsor cadet and youth programs and provide bursaries to the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of veterans.
The funds raised will also help with donations to Camp Maple Leaf, a not-for-profit sleepover camp for children of military families, the Homeless Veterans program, the Niagara Health Foundation, and the Juravinski Cancer Centre.
In all, 165 donation boxes have been distributed to businesses across Pelham and at the Meridian Community Centre.
The Town has also partnered with the legion on its Veterans Banner program. The banners are displayed in the areas surrounding Town Hall and the Meridian Community Centre. The program recognizes local veterans and their service.
“We're really indebted to the Town, too, for all the support they've given us over the years,” Garner said.
Mayor Marvin Junkin said the Town is happy to work with the Legion and the work it does to support veterans and their families.
“The Town is very honored to partner with the Legion in all of their activities,” he said. “The banner program, especially.”
Junkin added the Legion puts in a lot of effort to making the Town’s Remembrance Day services “a great event” for veterans and residents alike.
“The Town is very honoured to be part of it,” he said.
The Pelham Shoppers Drug Mart is sponsoring the campaign for 2024. According to store franchisee Frank Sicoli, it is the second year in a row the store has come on board to help.
“I can't say no to Rick (veteran services chairman Rick Hatt) or Jim (Garner). It's impossible,” Sicoli said.
The Remembrance Day service will be held Nov. 11, beginning at 10:40 a.m., at the cenotaph located on the branch grounds. Niagara Region will be shutting down the right westbound lane of Hwy. 20 in front of the Branch for the duration of the service.
The service will be livestreamed with the help Niagara College students and staff from the Broadcasting-Radio, Television and Film program. There will be a fly-over of historic aircraft from the Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton during the service. The flyover is sponsored by the Town.
