The Oxbow Public Library is marking Remembrance Day this week with programming focused on the symbol of the poppy.
Head librarian Megan Anderson shared details about the crafts, reading selections, and displays aimed at educating the community on the significance of Remembrance Day.
“Every week we have a different learning theme, and this one we are learning about poppies,” Anderson said. “Today is our first activity. We’re making a craft out of tissue paper, buttons, and a black-and-white photo, so it’ll look like someone is holding a poppy in their hands.”
Hands-on activities for children are one of the ways the library is engaging young readers with the story of the poppy. This week’s programming also includes story time with books such as The Poppy Lady by Barbara Walsh, which tells the story of Moyna Bell Michael, who conceived the idea of wearing poppies to honour veterans, and Poppies, Poppies Everywhere by Denise Leduc.
The library has also set up a display featuring over 50 adult books and 20 movies about the world wars, a collection that has seen interest from the community.
“It’s generally a popular topic throughout the year anyway, just something that’s always struck a chord with most people,” Anderson said.
Adding a historical dimension, the library has borrowed artifacts from the local museum, named after Ralph Allen, a Sergeant and war correspondent with the Canadian Armed Forces. The display includes Allen’s statement of service and a photo of him along with other war correspondents at the Kurt Meyer trial in Aurich, Germany, in 1945, where Meyer was convicted of war crimes for the killing of POWs in Normandy.
“We have Ralph’s original uniform. It doesn’t have any patches or badges or anything on it, but it’s his original jacket and wool pants,” Anderson said. A copy of Allen's book The Man From Oxbow is also featured.
The display includes a kit bag from the Bartell family containing a beret, wool socks, and a shoe brush — personal items that would have been standard issue during the war.
The Oxbow and Alameda communities host Remembrance Day ceremonies annually, as do the local legions.
“Generally, because we are a town with a local cadet squadron, there is a moment of silence that we have and a large Remembrance Day service in Oxbow and in Alameda. So, it is important to our community,” Anderson said.
The Alameda post office is also displaying a Second World War uniform and medals from a local veteran’s family, adding a personal touch to the commemoration.
The library’s activities will continue throughout the week, including watercolour painting on Friday and poppy-seed cookies on Saturday.
Oxbow Public Library’s Poppy Week programming serves as both a tribute and an educational experience for community members of all ages. Anderson, recently inspired by a visit to Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Museum, is committed to fostering a meaningful connection to history.