Since 2019, the Gravenhurst High School (GHS) visual arts and ceramics program has made hand crafted poppy pins for purchase to support the local community.
This year’s program has a total of 80 students who made between 12,000 to 13,000 ceramic poppies! Each poppy was hand crafted, glazed, and assembled by students.
“The poppy project has been a tremendous success this year and we are so excited to have had so much help and support from our community partners,” expressed program teacher, Aimée Bulloch-Moore. “We saw so much collaboration from GHS, with students and staff offering their help with selling poppies, volunteering time on weekends, and dropping off poppies and donations.”
This year’s initiative also saw a special partnership between the school’s Tech Club, who offered to create 3D printed cookie cutters in the shape of the poppy to help streamline the process, allowing the students to make poppies with more consistency and professionalism. As a result, the school raised the price per poppy to $10 each – an adjustment allowing for more income and money raised for the local legions.
The following businesses and Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) schools and offices helped sell poppies for this year’s fundraiser:
- Arts at the Albion – Gravenhurst
- Barrie Colts U16 AAA Team
- Bracebridge Public School
- Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes Secondary School
- Family Place Restaurant – Huntsville
- Film screening of “Lend a Hand the story of the Farmerettes” – Opera House, Gravenhurst
- Holiday Market – Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame, Bracebridge
- Relish – Gravenhurst
- Riverside Public School Craft Show – Huntsville
- Silver Pines Restaurant – Kilworthy
- TLDSB Lindsay Education Centre
- TLDSB Muskoka Education Centre
“Making poppies is a bit labour intensive, but a rewarding process if you have ever taken a look around the class when we are making them. It was almost peaceful making them, keeping in mind who I was making them for, and taking the time and care knowing how important they are to the community,” said Grade 12 visual arts and ceramics student, Ruth Miladinovic. “It feels really great to contribute because I know how much they are loved, and highly sought after. It’s an awesome, fulfilling way to contribute.”
In total, the 2025 project raised $11,346, which has been split between the Bala, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and Huntsville legions! This is the highest amount of money that the fundraiser has made since it started.
