This Remembrance Day marks the 75 anniversary of the end of WWII. It is an important milestone, and as the years pass all the more reason for Cochranites to remember, Lest We Forget. 

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 15, Cochrane has been working extra hard this year in the face of the pandemic to promote the Poppy Fund Campaign and organizing the altered Remembrance Day Ceremony.  

The poppy and is one of the most visually recognizable symbols of November 11th and the funds raised from the poppy sales are vitally important. The fund supports veterans, their families, and other organizations like STARS air ambulance and Search and Rescue. 

During the pandemic, it has been extra challenging to get out into the community to sell the iconic symbol and while people have been great to step up and volunteer, they have been unable to rely on the cadets to supply the people power of past years. Cochrane Legion president Karen Bruens says, "The Cochrane and area community has been very, very good. If they haven't been able to find poppies they call the office, we will get them to them. We have had more people coming by the branch and giving us donations which have been very generous."

Bruens, explains other ways of offering support. "You can go online to donate to the poppy fund. There is on ours, cochranelegion15.ca there are two buttons. There's a donate to the branch which is used for maintaining the branch and there is a button for the poppy trust fund." Of course, the Cochrane Legion works year-round to support veterans and their families and Bruens says, "I want to stress and their families.  A lot of the spouses don't realize that if they need help, as well, to please come and contact us." She adds if the Cochrane Legion can't help they will find other means of support. That includes spouses who are widows or widowers of a veteran. 

A reminder that the cenotaph ceremony on Wednesday, November 11 will be for veterans and invited guests only. Everyone else is invited to watch the ceremony via live-stream on the Legion's Facebook page beginning at 10:40 a.m.