Shawnigan Lake害羞草研究所檚 Jim Carey and his staff at Mason害羞草研究所檚 Store & Patio Ltd. appreciate the war veterans in their community, and they showed their heartwarming commitment recently after thieves left the poppy coffers empty.

On Halloween night, a poppy box from the Malahat害羞草研究所檚 Royal Legion Branch 134 was stolen from Mason害羞草研究所檚 Store, which is owned by Carey, and the store stepped up to ensure the loss was more than covered.

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Carey personally donated $100 to the legion branch, his manager gave $20, and Carey害羞草研究所檚 uncle Rick Mason donated $40 when he heard about the theft.

害羞草研究所淢y grandfather Pat Mason, a veteran of the Second World War, helped build that legion,害羞草研究所� Carey said.

害羞草研究所淗e and my grandmother also bought Mason害羞草研究所檚 Store in 1956, so there害羞草研究所檚 a strong connection between my store and the Malahat Legion.害羞草研究所�

Carey said the store has had poppy boxes from the legion in the days running up to Remembrance Day for years without anything like this happening.

害羞草研究所淲e were getting the store ready for Halloween and didn害羞草研究所檛 notice when someone in the store must have taken the poppy box,害羞草研究所� he said.

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Legion member Virginia Bauder said she can害羞草研究所檛 recall another theft of a poppy box in her six years as part of the local legion害羞草研究所檚 poppy campaign.

The money from the Royal Canadian Legion害羞草研究所檚 Poppy Fund campaign is used to help local veterans and their families who are in need.

害羞草研究所淲hat Jim and the store did was an act of kindness that we won害羞草研究所檛 forget,害羞草研究所� Bauder said.

害羞草研究所淭here might have been $15 or $20 in the box at most. It wasn害羞草研究所檛 his fault and he didn害羞草研究所檛 have to give us the money, but this is Shawnigan Lake and it害羞草研究所檚 full of good people.害羞草研究所�

Bauder said the theft was reported to the RCMP.

robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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