Wear Your Poppy: A Remembrance Day Contest for Haldimand and Norfolk Hockey

A lot of them were nineteen.

Young guys from Simcoe, Dover, Caledonia and Hagersville who played in these same rinks, got on a boat, and never came home. That is the reason we get to spend a Tuesday night watching a bunch of ten year olds chase a puck around. It’s the whole reason. We just don’t think about it very often.

The poppy is how we say we remember. It takes five seconds to put one on, and when a kid asks what it’s for, you get to tell them.

So here’s what we’re doing about it.

How it works

Between now and November 11, take a picture wearing your poppy. Players, parents, coaches, anybody. On the bench, in the car, at the rink. It doesn’t have to be fancy.

Post it, tag your team, and tag @hometownsports. If your account is private, just send us the photo in a DM instead.

On November 12 we’ll draw one name at random, and that person’s whole team gets a pizza party.

One photo is one entry. The more photos from your team, the better the odds.

Where to get a poppy

Your local Legion branch has them, and so do most grocery stores, arenas and coffee shops around both counties through the first week of November. The poppy itself is free. The donation box beside it is what keeps the whole thing running, and every dollar stays close to home supporting veterans and their families.

If you’re at the rink this week, odds are there’s a box in the lobby.

Why we’re doing it

Hometown Sports Network exists for Haldimand and Norfolk. Just these two counties. We tell the stories of our athletes, our coaches, our volunteers and the people who keep our arenas open.

This one isn’t really a story. It’s a small ask. We want to see a poppy on every kid in these two counties this November, and we figure a pizza party is a decent way to get a few hundred of them talking about why.

Coaches and team managers, pass this along to your group chat. That’s all it takes.

The fine print

Open to players, parents and coaches in Haldimand and Norfolk. No purchase necessary. Entries close November 11. Random draw November 12. Winner answers a skill-testing question. By entering you’re okay with us sharing your photo.