Attendance growing at Remembrance Day services in Charlottetown

Attendance at the local Remembrance Day ceremony has grown in recent years, says the president of the Provincial Command of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Jim Ross said the number of people at the Nov. 11 ceremony at the cenotaph in Charlottetown has increased.
"The crowd gets bigger every year."
Ross met recently with P.E.I. Lt.-Gov. Barbara Hagerman at Fanningbank for the ceremonial presentation of the first poppy.
The lieutenant-governor said she too noticed the turnout at the Remembrance Day ceremony has increased in recent years with Canada's current military operations.
"Since we've been involved with Afghanistan there is more attention paid to Remembrance Day," she said.
The poppy campaign officially starts on Friday, Oct. 30.
Money collected from donations goes to, among other things, veterans' care, youth organizations and seniors' homes.
As well, the money provides assistance to British Commonwealth ex-service members living in the 15 Caribbean countries.
Ross said it's important to remember the definition of a veteran includes those currently serving in the Armed Forces, not just those who served in past wars. He said many people just think of Second World?War veterans.
He said the men and women coming home from Afghanistan face the same challenges as those who returned home after Second World?War, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
Dominion legion president Wilf Edmond of Donkin, Nova Scotia, says the legion's 1,500 branches and their volunteers will be out distributing the poppy and collecting donations until Nov. 10.
"We want all Canadians to wear one of these symbols in remembrance of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country, and others, free from tyranny and oppression," said Donkin.
"Funds raised through the distribution of poppies can be used for a number of things," says Gord Moore of Elmira, Ont., who is a Dominion Command vice-president and chairman of the poppy and remembrance committee.
"But they all have ties to veterans' causes and needs. That could involve housing projects for veterans and senior citizens to providing meals on wheels or paying
for medical research and appliances."