Volunteers in northern Ont. knit poppies for highway bridge display

Volunteers knit Remembrance Day tribute Drivers on Hwy. 17 entering Sturgeon Falls, Ont., have been treated to a unique poppy display along a bridge in the community.

Drivers on Hwy. 17 entering Sturgeon Falls, Ont., have been treated to a unique poppy display along a bridge in the community.

An army of volunteers have knitted and crocheted hundreds of poppies and pinned them to the bridge leading up to Remembrance Day.

On Thursday, volunteers and Legion members pinned the poppies to the bridge and took time to reflect.

The idea for the display was sparked when volunteer Connie Kloosterman learned how to crochet. When Kloosterman completed her first poppy, she decided to kickstart a community-wide poppy project.

"We have to remember our soldiers and the people who fought for us and pass it on to the next generation to keep them remembering," Kloosterman said as she pinned a few more to the bridge.

When she sees the poppies, she is reminded of family members who served in the Canadian Armed Forces.

"My uncle, Tim Taylor, he served in the army many years ago. He volunteered with so many groups and the Legion, of course," Kloosterman said.

"Then I had some nieces and nephews that are in the army as well with different ranks. One of my nephews fought in Afghanistan and one niece is in the navy."

The TransCanada highway bridge on the edge of town was chosen so as many drivers as possible could see the display.

About half of the close to 500 poppies pinned to the bridge were created by people in community programs at the West Nipissing Community Health Centre -- a knitting club and the OASIS (Older Adults Staying in Shape) program.

"It was kind of a last-minute thing, but we came up with 250 poppies," said health centre volunteer Suzanne Louiseize.

'It really warms the heart'

"It really warms the heart."

When Kloosterman told the local Legion about her idea, members were curious at first. But when they saw the project kick off, they were ecstatic.

"To have this type of thing happen in Sturgeon Falls and West Nipissing just shows the support that is coming virtually from everyone," said Tim Trottier, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #225 Poppy Campaign chairman.

Wednesday, Kloosterman went to École élémentaire catholique La Résurrection to teach students in Grade 6 how to make them. She found them to be enthusiastic and said many of them gave theirs back to be pinned to the bridge.

Any homemade poppies can be dropped off at Buttons Quality Fabric and Yarn in downtown Sturgeon Falls.

"We have a large knitting and crocheting group and we’re still receiving them," owner Nancy Payeur said.

"It’s amazing to see the support we’ve had with this initiative."

Ultimately, Kloosterman said the poppies honour those who sacrificed for our freedoms.

"Always remember and never forget what the veterans have done for us," she said.