Thank You, Burlington!
The Poppy Trust Fund Committee, the Executive and Members of Branch 60 gratefully thank the citizens of Burlington for the tremendous and ongoing support and generosity shown to the Veterans and their dependents in our community.
Burlington Royal Canadian Legion 2023 Poppy Campaign collects almost $158,000 for the Community!
While the ongoing battle with COVID has affected many not-for-profit operations, it has not impacted the way Royal Canadian Legion volunteers and the citizens of Burlington have responded to the call for donations to the Poppy Fund.
In 2023, the Poppy Campaign collected $157,709 for the community of Burlington. (See the financial breakdown below.)
It should be noted that none of the Poppy Fund donations are used to pay the monthly bills of the Legion. Every dollar goes back into the community to support hospitals, care homes, research centers, the Red Cross and Cadets. Many of these institutions treat our older Veterans.
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 60 of Burlington would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to all our volunteers and the citizens of our wonderful city for the help we received to carry on this essential service to the community.
The basic purpose of the poppy funds is to provide immediate assistance to ex-servicemen and women in need. The Legion constitution stresses that poppy funds bare held in a bank account separate from that of the branch general funds and cannot be used for any purpose than those stipulated.
Our mission is to serve Veterans, which includes serving military and RCMP members and their families; to promote Remembrance; and to serve our communities and our country.
Support to our Communities: The Legion is one of Canada's largest supporters of youth activities in the country supporting cadets.
Support of Cadet Units: Subject to prior approval by Provincial Command, a branch may make an allotment up to 20% of the balance in its Poppy Trust Fund to support and encourage Cadet Units that have assisted the branch with the Poppy Campaign or other Remembrance activities. An allotment would be for assistance to Cadet units, not reimbursements for individual expenses.
In essence, the purposes and objectives of the Legion were born of the need to further the spirit of comradeship and mutual assistance among all who have served, and to never forget the deeds of the fallen.
The major source of funding for the Legion to accomplish this most important work is the annual Poppy Campaign, the foundation of our Remembrance Program. It is the generosity of the people of Burlington that enables the Legion to ensure that our veterans and their dependants are cared for, and treated with the respect that they deserve. It also flows into the community at large, through our collective giving, to our hospital, and other good deeds.
This annual November campaign, which sees Poppies distributed to Canadians of all ages, serves to perpetuate Remembrance by ensuring that the memory and sacrifices of our war veterans are never forgotten.