An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
At least that’s how Dan Kroffat, Cochrane celebrity and retired professional wrestler, plans to stick it to any thieves with a mind to repeat last year’s rash of poppy box thefts in Calgary.
Kroffat will be unveiling a newly designed poppy box at a press conference at Cochrane Toyota Oct. 21.
The plan is to launch the new boxes through the Cochrane Legion and roll it out across the country for Remembrance Day 2017.
“Our hope is that this will capture the attention of legions across Canada,” said Kroffat.
“We think it’s a good idea and we’re looking forward to seeing it,” said Cochrane Legion first vice-president, Dave Usherwood.
The legion will adopt the new boxes and introduce them to their merchants across town by the end of the month.
Kroffat, along with former Stampeder Jon Cornish, raised $9,000 to replace stolen poppy funds for veterans in need last year. The pair presented a cheque for $2,202 to the Cochrane Legion last year and managed to raise an additional $7,000 for various Calgary and area poppy campaigns.
“This won’t end theft, but it will stop the majority of it.”
Kroffat explained that the goal of the new, more secure design is three-fold: to deter spontaneous theft (the majority of poppy box theft), to encourage bigger donations (because people will view the box as more secure) and to raise awareness that veterans old and young are in need of financial assistance.
Last year saw a rash of around 40 poppy box thefts across Calgary. The public outcry made headlines and resulted in an outpouring of support and donations for veterans.
“It’s disgraceful,” said Calgary Poppy Fund CAO Joey Bleviss. “It’s a great initiative on his part and I’m looking forward to seeing it.”
Bleviss said they are hoping to raise more than $2 million this year (largely through the poppy campaign) for veterans in need.
He added that requests for assistance are up 15 per cent this year and mail-out donation requests year-to-date are down 35 per cent.
“Any deterrent from committing crime is a bonus,” said Cochrane RCMP Const. Jennifer Brewer, adding that a charge of theft can carry penalties ranging from community service to jail time.
The Canadian Legion Poppy Trust Fund directly supports Canadian veterans – current and retired – and their families, spouses and dependants The funds provide everything from clothing and food needs to transportation and medical expenses.
According to a March 2015 study conducted by Employment and Social Development of Canada, around 2,250 veterans use shelters regularly; this is around 2.7 per cent of the country’s homeless population.
The report indicated that the average age of homeless veterans is 52; the median age of the general population is 37. Contributing factors to this homelessness include drug and alcohol addiction and mental illness – highlighted by PTSD.
