Elora poppy project replanted

GUELPH – Inspired by a project at St. John Anglican Church in Elora, Riverside Residences in the Park in Guelph is adopting the knitted and crocheted poppy design to decorate the lobby of the building.

St. John’s initiated a project for the church two years ago, hoping to drape a mesh banner outfitted with knitted and crocheted poppies from the steeple to the ground.

They got such a surge of support from crafters in the community that the church was able to decorate much more than the steeple.

Karen Morrisy, a resident at Riverside, called the Elora display “impressive.”

She and Marilyn Couture, chair of the building’s social committee, visited the church last year around Remembrance Day and came back inspired and motivated.

“I asked the social committee if we could take on a project to make poppies and display them this November. The women here have knitted over 2,000 poppies since last February,” Couture stated in an email.

“They knitted and crocheted their hearts out,” Morrisy agreed in an interview.

On Nov. 1 the put their handiwork on display in the lobby and lower entrance of the building. There will be a tablecloth, swags and wreaths.

Morrisy said Rob Pettigrew at the Guelph Legion held a talk and small ceremony at the building last year ahead of Remembrance Day, “and he’s coming back again this year,” she said.

Pettigrew was to talk about how the Legion helps veterans on Nov. 6.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Morrisy said.

“We’re proud of what we’ve done.”