A display of handmade poppies hangs over the arbour on the front lawn of Helen and Stephen DeWolfe’s home at 5309 44th St., in Olds. She says people are welcome to drive by and see it.
Helen made the poppies to pay tribute to all those in the military.
“Not just those that died. Other military personnel give their emotional, mental and physical health for our country,” she told the Albertan.
“I just felt something to honour the people and what they give so that we can live in this country in a free manner.”
Her husband Stephen is a retired Air Force helicopter mechanic. He worked in the Air Force from 1983 to 2007.
Helen began the project in January and since then has created more than 400 homemade poppies.
In addition to those on the arbour, some are on banners at Olds Hospital and Care Centre. She also hoped to have a banner created for the Olds Legion in time for Remembrance Day.
“I had seen on the internet the multitude of poppies they do at Buckingham Palace and again on the internet I saw a pattern for felt poppies and thought, ‘hey, I can make a semi-equivalent; just make a bunch of poppies for a display,’” Helen said.
“So I had the pattern off the internet and then from there, changed it over and over and over in various different ways, shapes and forms.”
“Each of these poppies is unique and individual. I have a multitude of patterns I use; a whole wide range of embellishments for the centres.
“Five different shades of felt were used so that every poppy is as unique and individual and different as every military person who has ever served.
“I actually worked with 33 different patterns. And even within those, I figured out different ways of stitching them together to have, again, a wide variety of how the poppies look.”
Helen says other than her husband, none of her relatives has served in the military.
“Everyone puts up decorations for Halloween. I’ve got nothing against Halloween, but last Halloween, I thought, ‘everyone puts up these decorations for Halloween, which is nothing; there’s no real significance to Halloween. Remembrance Day is significant.'"
The poem, In Flanders Fields, written by Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae means a lot to Helen.
“I’ve known that poem since I was a child. I’ve got it memorized so I can recite it.”
Helen’s respect for those members of the military who were killed or injured is laudable. We should all remember what they’ve done for us.
Doug Collie is the editor of the Olds Albertan.
