Community News

CROCHET AND KNIT POPPIES TO ADORN ORANGEVILLE CLOCK TOWER

POPPIES CAN BE SUBMITTED BETWEEN NOW AND OCTOBER

TABITHA WELLS twells@metroland.com

Orangeville's clock tower will be undergoing a transformation this fall, thanks to a combined initiative between a resident and the town of Orangeville.

Inspired by the many other municipalities and countries who have done the same, Laura Austin came up with the idea of covering the Broadway clock in crocheted and knitted red poppies prior to Remembrance Day.

"The genesis of it was that my girlfriend in Stouffville sent me a message showing me the poppies she was making to adorn their clock tower," said Austin. "I decided to Google and saw many communities had been doing the same thing. I thought, wouldn't it be a wonderful way to get everyone engaged and do something like that in Orangeville?"

This grassroots initiative began in January, when Austin first began to put feelers out to the town and other groups. Since then, she has worked with town staff — particularly with the Orangeville Public Library — to make the Poppy Project a reality.

"How beautiful it will be to march by the clock tower when it is completely adorned with poppies?" said Darla Fraser, CEO of the library. "It's a message that speaks to the solidarity and our respect for our veterans, and the desire for world peace, especially at this moment."

Residents and community groups are invited to create crochet and knit poppies between now and October. The patterns for the styles of poppies they are looking for are available online at the campaign's web page or physical copies can be picked up at the Mill Street Branch of the library.

Austin says with current events and the war still raging on in Ukraine, it has a present-day impact as well.

"As the project gained momentum, it also made me think a lot about how this is really an important message we're giving to children, too," Austin said. "This is a learning opportunity because they see the news, they know what's going on. Coming out of COVID-19, it's a difficult time already, along with this war. It impacts the children, too."

Art projects like this have picked up momentum in recent years. In 2021, the city of Cambridge adorned multiple buildings in more than 33,000 crochet and knit poppies.

"It allows for some unique personality and creativity," said Fraser. "We have seen this community step up so many times, and I think this project will resonate with the community because it is an opportunity to show support, come together and create something meaningful."

Participants in the project will need to source their own red and black yarn and completed poppies can be dropped off at either of the library's two locations in Orangeville.

"This will bring people together, and that's really what we need right now," said Austin. "Seeing people face-to-face and

sharing something important that really doesn't cost a lot of money."

For more information or to obtain a digital copy of one of the patterns, visit www.orangeville.ca/poppyproject.

COMMUNITY

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2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281582359237730

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