Poppy sales to support veterans

WITH Remembrance Day approaching, Returned and Services Leagues (RSL) are encouraging people to purchase and wear a red poppy to commemorate Australia’s veterans.

Torquay RSL members have begun selling poppies at various locations around town, including at the local Woolworths, IGA, and Coles stores, as well as at the Saturday Farmers’ Market.

Torquay RSL social and fundraising sub-committee chair Maurie Dale said the funds raised by the sales help support the sub-branches members.

“All the sales we do from the poppies, badges, etcetera, go back into looking after our veterans.

“We’ve been doing monthly deliveries with our wellbeing packs, just to give them a visit too.

“We’ve been blown away with the success of that because it’s great not only for the people delivering but also our vets who get so much satisfaction from being acknowledged and getting a visit.”

Mr Dale said the Torquay RSL sub-branch was ensuring the poppies are sold safely.

“There are criteria we follow, so we don’t pick up the bags, people select their own. We also have sanitiser and wear masks.”

He said he was pleased restrictions now permitted them to proceed with the sales.

“For as long as Torquay RSL has been in existence and beyond that, poppies have been sold in Torquay.”

Torquay RSL president Bob Tyler said November 11 was a particularly important date to commemorate veterans.

“It is on Remembrance Day, above all other days, that we recall the women and men who, through personal sacrifices, contributed to the evolution and identity of our country, Australia.

“We must never forget how much we owe to them.”

The Point Danger Remembrance Day ceremony will begin at 10.40am.

People can view the livestream of the service by heading to facebook.com/Torquayrsl.