With Remembrance Day approaching, the Richmond Poppy Fund campaign is underway. The poppy is an emblem throughout the Commonwealth that commemorates Remembrance Day and honours members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty.
For Matthew McBride, chair of the Richmond Poppy Fund, the poppy is more than just a symbol.
“I see every poppy as a human life,” says McBride, a retired Navy diver who has also been the organizer of the Richmond Remembrance Day parade for the last 11 years. “Over 117,000 Canadians lost their lives in service to our country, and countless lives of veterans were lost following their service due to physical or mental illness.”
Each year, the fundraising drive for the Richmond Poppy Fund takes place with major assistance from the Army, Navy and Air Force Cadets from the end of October up until Remembrance Day. The fund helps veterans as well as those in active service who may be injured and need extra help.
As one of Richmond Hospital Foundation’s longstanding donors, the Richmond Poppy Fund has benefited the many veterans, other patients and their families here over the years by helping to purchase urgently needed medical equipment, including a surgical microscope for ear, nose and throat procedures in the Operating Rooms and ventilators in the Intensive Care Unit at Richmond Hospital. There can be as many as 20 veterans in the hospital at any given time.
“Every community needs a hospital at its core,” McBride says. “We begin our lives here, we end our lives here, we come back for regular maintenance throughout the course of our lives. How that hospital integrates with our lives is a reflection on how we feel about ourselves and our neighbours.”
“Our mission is to care for veterans,” McBride says. “Mental and physical care for our veterans naturally dovetails into the support of a vibrant, healthy, functioning hospital in our community that we all have access to.
“A hospital is a champion for the health of our community and an important resource. We see the hospital system as much more than just acute care treatment.”
In Richmond, the Royal Canadian Legion (Bridgeport) Branch 291 and the Army, Navy and Air Force Unit 284 (Steveston) jointly operate the Richmond Poppy Fund. About 20 hardworking volunteers make it happen every year.
Poppies are available by donation at various locations throughout Richmond up until Remembrance Day, including Richmond Hospital, major malls, liquor stores, as well as at the Legion at 11131 Bridgeport Rd.
