Poppy curtain honours veterans

A handmade poppy curtain hanging in the Chipman Building has been drawing attention in the lead up to Remembrance Day. 

The display at the Nova Scotia Health site in Kentville was created by Coretta Winkelman and LeeAnne Avery and features 111 crocheted poppies stitched into netting. It hangs in a busy hallway near the cafeteria, inspiring conversations for staff and visitors. “We were struck by the beauty and symbolism of poppy curtains we saw at cenotaphs and legions,” said Winkelman, an administrative assistant to the director of clinical engineering.

Confident they could recreate it on a smaller scale, she and Avery began working on the project last November. Using leftover yarn and poppy patterns they found on the internet; the pair began crocheting the design in their spare time.  “Camping was a big time for it,” Winkelman said. “You sit outside, enjoy the sunshine and just have a bag beside you with yarn and a hook. Some weeks I didn’t make many and other weeks I made several. It just grew as I had time.” 

Avery, who is an administrative assistant to the director of maintenance and operations, said the differences in their materials added charm to the final piece. 

“I had my stash and Coretta had hers, which actually worked out well,” she said. “There’s a slight difference in colour and my crochet hook was bigger than Coretta’s. My pattern was also a bit different, so we ended up with a nice bit of variation, which we really like.” 

The curtain is about a metre wide and stretches nearly three metres from ceiling to floor. It’s adorned with photos of loved ones who served. A sign invites others to contribute their own images. 

“Coretta and I already had a lot of photos from our own family members, and I think that inspired people,” Avery said. “They loved it; every time someone walked down the hallway, they had such a great reaction. A few times now, we’ve come in in the morning and found new pictures added.” 

Both women have deep personal connections to military service. Winkelman’s father served in the Netherlands and her extended family includes veterans and a cadet. Avery’s family includes veterans from multiple branches, and her daughter and nephew currently serve in the Air Force. 

“Military service runs deep in my family,” Avery said. “We have to honour those huge sacrifices but also remember. We don’t want this to happen again.” 

Winkelman echoes that sentiment. 

“Veterans need to know that we’re proud of their contributions, proud that they supported their country and proud of the freedom we have because of them,” she said. “We all need to reflect on the price they paid so we could have the life we enjoy The curtain will come down November 12 and be stored until next year. 

“One hundred per cent we’re going to put it up again next year and hopefully it’ll be even bigger,” Winkelman said. “I stopped at 111 poppies because of November 11. It just felt right.”