Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Hay River (Nov 11/02) - Steve Kovatch believes strongly in the importance of wearing a poppy.

A veteran of the Second World War himself, Kovatch has been chairperson of the annual Poppy Campaign at the Hay River branch of the Royal Canadian Legion for eight years.

And the 79-year-old encourages everyone to wear a poppy for Remembrance Day.

"It's very important," he says, explaining it is a way to remember the souls who passed on in the First and Second World Wars, and other conflicts.

Poppies have a deeply personal meaning for him, since he had friends who made the ultimate sacrifice in Europe during the Second World War.

"Two of my school chums left their lives over there," he says.

Kovatch himself served in the Second World War with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

From 1942-45, he was an aircraft mechanic in Ontario and Labrador, where he worked on planes used to train bombardiers and air gunners.

After the war, he retired from the air force with the rank of sergeant, and has been a member of the Royal Canadian Legion since 1946.

Along with remembering the fallen, poppies are a way to get young people interested in the purpose and activities of the Royal Canadian Legion, says Kovatch, who is originally from Brooks, Alta., but has lived in the Northwest Territories for 40 years.

While he sees some young people wearing poppies, Kovatch thinks more youth and adults should wear the symbol of remembrance.

Julien Lefebvre, president of the Hay River Legion, stressed the importance of Remembrance Day to students at Diamond Jenness secondary school in an address last week.

"Remembrance Day represents a small token of this country's appreciation and respect for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the causes of freedom and democracy," Lefebvre told the students.

He concluded his talk by saying, "On the 11th of November this year, remember and wear a poppy. It's the Canadian thing to do."

Kovatch explains a poppy is supposed to be worn over the heart, although many people wear them on their hats. But he doesn't mind how people wear the poppies. "As long as you buy it."

The funds raised in the annual poppy campaigns are used to help veterans and their families, he explains.

About 10,000 poppies are ordered by the Hay River Legion each year, and most of them are sold.

As for how so many poppies can be sold in a town of 3,500, he explains many people lose poppies and buy more.