‘This is the absolute least we can do’: 1000 poppies displayed outside Windsor Retirement home

Upwards of 1000 handmade poppies are on display outside Lifetimes on Riverside Retirement home on Riverside Drive East, part of its fourth annual Poppy Project.

The Poppy Project brings together school children, community groups and seniors to create handmade poppies, each featuring a personalized message of gratitude on the back. The messages are addressed to retired veterans and active service people.

The poppies are then proudly displayed on the front lawn as a tribute to veterans on Remembrance Day.

"It's been really remarkable," said Holly Kirk McLean, Lifetimes on Riverside sales and marketing manager.

"We've had a number of veterans that we've been very fortunate that have made Lifetimes on Riverside Retirement their home, so to honour them and the veterans that have served this country, we decided that we would start doing this," Kirk McLean explained.

Kirk McLean said the poppy-making process began in early October and continued right up to Nov. 11, with plans in place to deliver the poppies to several Royal Canadian Legion branches and veterans across the Windsor-Essex community.

Each poppy includes a heartfelt message addressed to veterans and active service people. The poppies are seen outside Lifetimes on Riverside in Windsor, Ont. on Nov. 11, 2024. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

"There's a great sense of pride when they come out and they see these poppies that are here, and there's a great sense of pride for those that they maybe didn't serve, but they have family members who did and this is allowing them to honour their memory," continued Kirk McLean.

"We like to help our legions here in Windsor-Essex. So, we'll make sure that they get some of these poppies and then we do have active servicemen and women all over the world. We will make sure that some of those get sent to them as well."

Kirk McLean told CTV News the initiative is one of several taking place at Lifetimes locations across Ontario, noting she is the proud sister of a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot, making the Poppy Project near and dear to her family.

"This is the absolute least we can do," she said.