Here's a photo of some of the stacked up boxes in a garage.

We are now discussing with lots of people how we will display the Poppies at Tuncurry on ANZAC Day 2015 . With all the poppies being made, we will give 500 to the RSL for each of the local centres to display too.

We're all excited having reached 9,000 completed poppies now. In fact there are 9,045 poppies all ready to be displayed. We carefully pack and store in polystyrene boxes. There are 500 poppies in each box.

We're very grateful for the donation of these boxes by our local Forster fruit and vegetable shop - Farmer's Patch.

However, our first display will be when the rededication of the Tuncurry War memorial happens on 22nd Feb. 2015 . Poppies will line all the pathways and there will be a small display - but not all of the poppies will be on display then as we want ANZAC Day to be the major event.

I continue to be stunned and thrilled by all the poppies we receive from so many women around the area! One woman arrived with 140 poppies in  plastic bag and wanted some more yarn so she could knit more when  she holidayed in New Zealand - how wonderful is that? There are also the many other dedicated and regular contributors of poppies with their 7-20each week. It really makes the total mount up quickly and we've now reached 8880 poppies with our 10,000 target very close indeed. The RSL sub-branch in Forster-Tuncurry is thrilled with all these and discussions are occurring as to how we will display all these poppies to their best advantage and ensure that they are a mark of respect and remembrance of all those who have been part of military forces - in war and peace.

Once again many thanks to all you wonderfully dedicated poppy makers.

By the way, we haven't heard from many about dedications put on their poppies. I want to list all these if possible.

Till next time, keep making the poppies!

8,000 poppies and still counting!

What an amazing effort this is by the many dedicated women who continue to knit and crochet poppies and as well as some women concentrating on making felt poppies. One of our ladies is crocheting small poppies which have a brooch pin sewn on and can be used by men and maybe even the travelling school group who are going to Gallipoli next year. Everyone deserves congratulations for their great efforts working towards our aim of 10,000 poppies.

At the Crafty Tuesday last week there were lots of poppies handed in which included 500 from Margot. This collection included ones made in Vanuatu, in the Whitsundays as well as in the Snowy Mts. in the past 3 months. It never ceases to amaze me where the poppies are being made which are then added to our collection here at St Alban’s Anglican Church in Forster. We will have a lovely problem of how to display all these poppies at the rededication of the War Memorial at Tuncurry in late February and then on ANZAC Day. However, I’m sure that will all be organised and they will make an amazing display as well as lining the pathways of the War memorial. It will be a great reminder all the people who have been part of military forces.


Outlook across the beach where the poppies were made in Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu    




        Many of the poppies spilling out of the raffia Vanuatu bag.

     

Display of the variety of poppies made as people cruised in the Whitsundays     

         

Geraldine, one of the dedicated poppy makers sitting in the sun on a yacht in the Whitsundays in September 2014

Poppy makers were looking out across these snow gums to the snow covered mountains in the background as they made poppies.             

This is a display of those poppies in the snow

 

Dedications    I’m aware that some people have attached dedications to their poppies. If you would let Julie know by email at: 5000poppiesgreatlakes@gmail.com, we’ll make a list of all the names of the people for whom the poppies are dedicated and include them on the blog.

Keep making poppies all you wonderful people.