By Charminae George
Persons who purchase an item from any Subway location (Redcliffe Street or Old Parham Road) on November 11, Remembrance Day, will be gifted a poppy pin to show support for the soldiers who played a role in securing the freedoms that we enjoy today.
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Ex-Servicemen Association, Hilroy Johnson Browne, presented 100 poppies to Brittany Barnes, CEO of The Communications Collective, a digital marketing agency contracted by Subway, and Barnes in turn presented a cheque for EC$500 to Browne.
The exchange marks three years of collaboration between the two entities after Browne reached out to Subway in 2020 with the proposition to purchase the poppies.
“It’s an important time of year for us, for our history, just to make sure that we always remember that people gave their lives for our freedom today,” Barnes told Observer yesterday.
Proceeds of the purchase will go towards supporting the projects of the Ex-Servicemen Association.
“These funds go a long way. We do food baskets, we do medical, and even for some family members funeral grants where we offer some amount of funding if someone lost a loved one and he or she is a member of the association,” Browne explained.
The Antigua and Barbuda Ex-Servicemen Association launched in 2005. Today, its members consist of former service personnel, including those who served in the Antigua Defence Force (ADF before 1981), the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF after 1981), police, ambulance brigade, nurses, Boys Brigade, Girls Brigade, Scouts and the Cadet Corps.
Membership in the association is not only open to anyone who formerly served as a service person, but also to those who may not have served who wish to become a friend of the association, dedicating his or her life to charity and benevolence, Browne added.