POPPIES AND PAWS
Fanshawe donates nearly $5,000 to The Royal Canadian Legion

Fanshawe College will donate more than $4,800 raised from The Fanshawe Poppy Project to The Royal Canadian Legion in a cheque presentation on Wednesday, June 12, with veteran service dogs in attendance.   

The Fanshawe Poppy Project is an educational collaboration between the College, The Royal Canadian Legion, London area schools and beyond. The concept of the project is for students to create a sustainable poppy made from seed paper that they can wear to commemorate Remembrance Day. Unlike the traditional poppy, the seed paper poppy will decompose in a garden and bloom in the spring. 

The Fanshawe donation is from the sale of each poppy kit and will go to support the attainment of a service dog for Canadian veterans.

"As a Military-Connected Campus, Fanshawe takes great pride in our poppy partnership with The Royal Canadian Legion," says Darlene O'Neill, lead administrator for Fanshawe's Military-Connected Campus. "The Fanshawe Poppy Project continues to grow across the country with more than 70,000 school-age children creating a poppy in four provinces last year. This project demonstrates the power of partnerships while focusing on education, sustainability and hope."   

"The Royal Canadian Legion is proud to be partnered with Fanshawe College and The Fanshawe Poppy Project," says Brian Harris, provincial poppy chair for The Royal Canadian Legion, Ontario Provincial Command. "The poppy image symbolizes the sacrifice of the Canadians who paid the supreme price, and its image echoes the words of the now famous words by Canadian military surgeon Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae poem In Flanders Fields. This project is essential in assisting us in educating our youth of the importance of remembrance. We are grateful for this donation to The Royal Canadian Legion's Operation Service Dogs."