Poppies will be available at most mid-Island businesses for the price of a donation starting on Friday, Oct 31, until Remembrance Day. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

we remember

‘It’s more vital than ever:’ Nanaimo poppy campaign starts Friday

Oct 27, 2025 | 2:11 PM

NANAIMO — Local legions are gearing up for their annual poppy campaign ahead of Remembrance Day.

Poppy distribution starts on the last Friday in October, and with this year landing on Halloween, the timeline to show your support is a bit shorter than in previous years.

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 10 (South Nanaimo) president Jason Lott said their volunteers are making “big, big efforts” behind the scenes to hit the ground running.

“It’s more vital than ever to engage the community and to raise funds for our veterans and for community services…we’ve only got from the 31st till [November] 10, so we’re obviously wanting people to come out and pick up their poppies at the various locations around the city.”

Poppies available by donation will be distributed at major businesses across Nanaimo, including Port Place Shopping Centre, Quality Foods, Country Grocer, and even at BC Ferry terminals.

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Lott said as always, money raised from the poppies goes directly back to helping local veterans and their families, while preserving the memory of those Canadians who paid the supreme sacrifice with their lives while serving their country.

“Vancouver Island in particular we have a lot to be proud of because a lot of the vets that gave sacrifices were from Vancouver Island that were instrumental in ending a lot of the worlds conflicts, and people forget that there was a lot of peacekeepers that serve in different overseas things to and there’s people that have sacrificed their lives either in those foreign countries or at home afterwards.”

He encourages everyone to not only wear a poppy, but join them for the parade and ceremony at the cenotaph on Nov. 11, then head over to a local legion to continue showing your support.

To volunteer to help distribute poppies or for more information, go to Legion Branch 10’s Facebook page or the Mount Benson Legion Branch 256.

More information on how to donate or volunteer can be found at poppystore.ca, or at the Royal Canadian Legion’s website.

Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held across Canada on Nov. 11, with a moment of silence held at 11 a.m. followed by the playing of The Last Post.

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