by Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (Nov 19/97) - The Gallery bar staff has risen to the occasion and turned an insensitive theft into a story about remembering those who fought and died for our country.

Money raised at the bar for the annual poppy fund was stolen Nov. 10, the night before Remembrance Day.

"I don't like to see anyone take a poppy without putting money in, let alone taking the whole cotton-picking container," said the Gallery's daytime bartender, Mike Grant.

Merlyn Williams, a Royal Canadian Legion member, dropped off the poppy box during the first week of November and Grant said it quickly filled up.

Most people who came to the bar to buy a drink left a little change in the box and grabbed a poppy.

"There must have been a fair dollar in there," said Grant."Whoever has the money, I sure hope they enjoy it," he said sarcastically.

Before Williams came back to the Gallery on Nov. 11, Grant noticed the poppy money was missing.

"I wasn't particularly happy about this," he said.

Upon Williams' arrival, Grant told him what had happened and offered to make a donation.

Williams said it wasn't necessary but Grant insisted and gave the legion a jar of change -- spare dimes and nickels collected by bar staff and donated monthly to charity.

It was a fairly large jar filled to the top, Grant said.