From the left: Lois Beckstead, Beate Stewart, Thea Chouinard and Vince Zandbelt take a moment from their work creating the display which will grace the Rotary Clock Tower in Chesterville between Nov. 1 and Nov. 13. The display has approximately 1,500 hand-made poppies connected to netting which serves to remember those members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their sacrifices for our freedom. Thompson Goddard Photo

CHESTERVILLE – As Nov. 11 approaches, thoughts turn to remembering the service of all the men and women and their sacrifices which helps to ensure our freedom. Throughout North Dundas there are now 10 displays of beautiful hand-crafted poppies which serves as a reminder to remember their service.

In 2023 a beautiful display of crocheted or knitted poppies were placed at Sweet Corner in Winchester and the Rotary Clocktower in Chesterville. “The hand-made crocheted or knitted poppies were made with love by local residents, crocheting and stitching groups in 2023.” commented Vince Zandbelt a member of the Downtown Winchester Committee, who mentioned that in addition to North Dundas residents, members of the Wild and Wooly group in Finch created and donated poppies.

He estimates 10,000 poppies were created thanks to the support of local services groups including the Rotary Club of Chesterville, Chesterville & District Lions Club, Winchester Lions Club, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 108 in Winchester, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 343 in Chesterville and the Winchester Downtown Committee.

This year, in addition to the two displays in Chesterville and Winchester, eight more community minded people and organizations added displays in their local area. Zandbelt explained discussions amongst and agreement with all involved in the program resulted in the agreement that “the remaining extra poppies were to be dispersed equally and donated to the eight new ND communities for the 2024 Remembrance Day displays. These groups found areas to locate their displays as well as they designed, created and erected their own personalized displays for their own communities.”

At North Dundas District High School, the poppy display was created by NDDHS students and staff, in Chesterville at the Rotary Clock Tower the display is available thanks to the work of the Rotary Club of Chesterville and 24 women who knitted or crocheted poppies.

In Veteran’s View Park in Morewood is a display of poppies which was created and erected by members of the Morewood Recreation Association, while in Ormond, the friends of the Ormond Cemetery created and erected a display in the Ormond Cenotaph/Cemetery. At Hill 70 in Mountain, the display was created and erected by Mountain Township Lions Club who also created and erected the poppy display at Loughlin’s Store in Hallville. The display at the South Mountain Lions Pavillion as well as at the New Life Mills in Inkerman were as a result of the work from members of the Mountain Township Lions Club.

In Winchester Springs, along County Road 31, the poppy display was created and erected by Doris and Danny Hogaboam working with Sally and Ken Stratford. In Winchester’s Sweet Corner Park the display is as a result of the work from members of RCL Branch 108 and the Winchester Downtown Committee.

Thea Chouinard, one of the local organizers in Chesterville, explained the Chesterville display has approximately 1,500 poppies. After thanking the service clubs for their contributions towards the cost of the wool, the netting and other items needed for the display, she mentioned there were 24 women who either knitted or crocheted 2,260 poppies for it last year.

Chouinard commented both her and sister Beate have strong familial connections to the military and they see this as their way of honouring the service of Canadian Armed Forces members. She said the display will be up between Nov. 1 and Nov. 12 or 13 when it is taken down, cleaned and dried before storing until next year.

For several years RCL Branch 108 has provided an opportunity for people to visit some of the cenotaphs in the community. On Nov. 9 after meeting at the Winchester Legion, they will travel to the Ormond Cenotaph/Cemetery, the Inkerman Cenotaph, the Van Camp Cenotaph, and the Hill 70 monument. “This pilgrimage is a meaningful way to visit the lesser-known Cenotaphs in our township. These Cenotaphs hold the names of heroes from our community but are often not as visited as the Cenotaph at Winchester District Memorial Hospital. With each stop on this pilgrimage, we show our respect to the fallen soldiers whose names grace these Cenotaphs by holding a moment of Remembrance so that we strive to ensure they are never forgotten.” said RCL Poppy Chair Shawn Doolan.

The Inkerman Cenotaph is located at 11526 County Road 3 Inkerman, the Van Camp Cenotaph at 11035 Levere Road in Mountain, the Hill 70 Monument on Clark Road in Mountain, and the Ormond Cenotaph/Cemetery at 12663 Ormond Road, Winchester.