Alberta Philanthropist Jesse Willms Supports Poppy Fund in Honor of Remembrance Day

EDMONTON, AB, November 06, 2010 (Press-News.org) Albertan businessman and philanthropist Jesse Willms has donated $1,000 to the Greater Edmonton Poppy Fund in order to help out local veterans and their families when they are facing hard times.

"Remembrance Day is just around the corner," Willms said. "Now is the time to do what we can to let local veterans know that we have not forgotten the sacrifices they have made for our country. We owe them a huge debt, and it is our duty to help them in their time of need."

Click here to watch the Jesse Willms Poppyfund.ca video.

The Greater Edmonton Poppy Fund is run by the Royal Canadian Legion. It works to provide dental and eye care, medical equipment, prescriptions, shelter, clothing and other assistance to veterans and their families who would otherwise not be able to afford these necessities.

"When you give money to the Poppy Fund, that money is used to help people in our local community," Willms said. "These are our friends and neighbors who have risked their lives in support of our freedom. When they turn to us for help, we cannot turn our backs on them. It would be the wrong thing to do."

Willms said that he is a big supporter of local veterans. On Remembrance Day itself, November 11, he is planning on going to the ceremony at the University of Alberta's Butterdome with his employees in order to lay a wreath in honor of departed veterans.

"It's important to make sure that the lives of these brave men and women are never forgotten," Jesse Willms said. "These men and women were willing to lay down their lives for us. We should do everything in our power to honor their memories."

Jesse Willms partnership with the Greater Edmonton Poppy Fund is part of a larger effort on his part to work with reputable charitable organizations in the local community. He has collected hundreds of toys for the Santas Anonymous children's charity, volunteered at The Mustard Seed and plans to spend a day building homes with the Edmonton branch of Habitat For Humanity.

"I want to do what I can to help people in need in my local community," Jesse Willms said. "I truly believe that charity begins at home."

Jesse Willms is a very well-known member of the local business community. He started out in business when he was 16 years old buying and selling computers and software from his parents' basement. In only six years, he had turned that into a thriving business. Follow Jesse Willms on Twitter.

Website: http://jessewillms.com/?p=490