The Parkwood Institute and Grand Theatre London joined together to let Canadian veterans hand make paper poppies. The poppies will be a part of the set design for the play Timothy Findley’s The War. Grand Theatre artistic director, Dennis Garnhum says that the play is being held in respect to the veterans. 
“We wanted to do this play to commemorate and honor all the soldiers past, present and future who defend, fight and live for our country.”
Soldier Robert Ross is the main character of the play. Audiences will watch his journey from Toronto to the battlefields of France.
The poppies are more than just a set design for 91 year old Veteran of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps and Parkwood Institute resident, Glenna Stenning. She says that the flower is a representation of strength.
“I was in the army for 3 years in World War 2 and it just makes me remember the boys that I knew that didn’t come back and the ones that did come back.”
The closing night of the play, non-coincidentally, lands on November 11th 2018 which is also the date of the 100 year anniversary of the ending of 
World War 1.
Intern coordinator of therapeutic recreation and creative arts at Parkwood Institute, Tichelle Schram hopes that veterans feel appreciated by the making of poppies.
“In our minds [the play] is also to remember the veterans, that is always our goal, to remember the sacrifice of the fallen soldiers.”
The veterans successfully made 4000 poppies for the set, however, the design of the set will be kept a secret until the opening nigh of the show.
The play begins on October 23rd and ends on November 11th.
