A group of seniors have been hard at work knitting and crocheting an extravagant poppy display to honor Canadian veterans and their sacrifices.

More than 10,000 poppies are on display inside and outside the Sanctuary Arts Center in Dartmouth, N.S. On Monday, the poppies will be transported to Dartmouth’s cenotaph, where they will remain until after Memorial Day.

Oakwood Terrace Nursing Home residents, along with community volunteers, have been completing this project every November since 2020. Each year they add several thousand more poppies to the exhibit.

“This is a great way to make them feel like they’re contributing to their community,” said Chantal Beaulieu, Oakwood Terrace recreation programmer.

He said it has been about five years since a veteran has lived in the nursing home, but many of the residents are relatives of people who served during World Wars I and II.

“There’s a very deep, personal meaning that resonates deeply with them,” Beaulieu said.

This year, Beaulieu and his team created a “wall of honor” with the names of today’s veterans.

Retired major David McIntyre served in the Canadian Air Force for 39 years. He frequently performs musical performances as a volunteer at Oakwood Terrace.

His name, along with his brother’s, is among nearly 200 veterans on the wall.

“This means everything,” McIntyre said. “I served, I have two older brothers who served, a father who served, many uncles. This means a lot.”

Beaulieu and McIntyre are part of a tribute concert held at the arts center on Saturday night.

The performance and popping display have become an annual tradition that they hope to continue growing in the years to come.

Evelyn’s Day

Beaulieu said most seniors work year-round to make poppies, but one resident named Evelyn was especially passionate about the project in its first few years.

“He would get up every morning and make one before breakfast, and he would make one every night before he went to bed,” Beaulieu said.

Evelyn has since died, but her family gathers every Sunday to make poppies in her honor. They call it “Evelyn’s Day.”