Each year, poppy funds at Royal Canadian Legions across Canada go to support incredibly worthy causes.

In Invermere, this is no different, as over the years the Invermere Royal Canadian Legion has donated thousands of dollars to various causes.

Invermere raises approximately $17,000 each year through their poppy fund.

Destinations for poppy funds in past years include providing assistance for Canadian veterans living in poverty abroad and at home, providing geriatric medical appliances for veterans, building wheelchair ramps, providing auto repairs for families of current service members, and buying new respiratory equipment for local fire halls, among a plethora of other good causes.

Everyone has a good idea of why we wear poppies for Remembrance Day, but Invermere poppy chairman Howie Williams says that while we wear poppies to remember those soldiers in past wars, they also serve to honour soldiers fighting abroad in modern times as well.

“The poppy isn’t just to remember historical wars,” Williams said. “It’s also a way to recognize the sacrifices of today’s military service members.”

Williams also extolled the virtues of Invermere’s Remembrance Day ceremonies, saying that it rivals Ottawa’s ceremony, in his own admittedly biased opinion. Remembrance Day ceremonies this year will take place on Friday November 11, beginning at approximately 10:30 a.m. in Invermere and at 3:45 p.m. in Edgewater.