Communities in Ontario’s Niagara Region are adorning their museums, churches, and legions with crocheted poppies as part of the Poppy Project to commemorate Remembrance Day.
The initiative was spearheaded by Christine Girardi, an assistant curator at the Niagara Falls History Museum, in early 2020 as a local community art endeavor.
Girardi emphasized the importance of connecting programs at the museum with history and community engagement, especially in honoring the sacrifices made in various wars involving Canadian troops.
Originally a local project, the Poppy Project gained international traction during the COVID-19 pandemic, amassing 11,000 knitted poppies from Canada, the U.S., and Europe.
Yvonne Miller, a member of the StickN’ Needles Guild, noted the project’s significance in providing a sense of accomplishment during the pandemic.
Various establishments in Niagara, including museums, churches, and legions, reached out to Girardi to create their own poppy displays to raise awareness and reflection on Remembrance Day.
Girardi expressed hope that the sight of the poppies would prompt passersby to contemplate the significance of Remembrance Day and the sacrifices made.
Joanne Ring, the lead artist of the Poppy Project, highlighted that each knitted poppy symbolizes an individual who fought for Canada.
These installations will remain on display until November 12.
“I’m very proud to be a part of it,” said Yvonne Miller, a member of the StickN’ Needles Guild. The guild is a group of local knitting enthusiasts who help crochet thousands of poppies for the Poppy Project in collaboration with Niagara Falls History Museum’s assistant curator Christine Girardi and lead artist Joanne Ring.
Other ways Niagara is commemorating Remembrance Day
- On November 9, a service