Joy Crotinger (left) and Minister of Veterans Affairs Jill McKnight (right).
Joy Crotinger is the wife of a late Second World War Veteran. At 100 years old, Joy continuously supports and dedicates time and effort to Branch 230 of The Royal Canadian Legion. She is viewed as the matriarch of the Legion, ensuring an accepting environment for both members and non-members.
Over the last 37 years, Joy has worked tirelessly to support The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 230, helping to support Veterans and serving Canadian Armed Forces members.
Joy has held various positions within the Legion, including 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Chair of the finance committee and a member of the phone committee, working at local bingo halls to raise funds for the Legion. She continues to promote remembrance by serving the local Veterans during their times of need or providing them with the time and space to unwind with other Veterans with similar experiences. During her career as a nurse, Joy provided care and support to countless Veterans and other members of the public, opening up her house to anyone needing to talk. Until the age of 99, she continued to drive Veterans to appointments when they were unable to get there themselves.
Joy has worked on many Poppy Campaigns and on Remembrance Day ceremonies. She gathers volunteers to assemble, distribute and recollect the poppy boxes, as well as personally hand out poppies and spread awareness on the campaign. Joy attends flag raising ceremonies, events at local schools and the Ridgeway Remembrance Day ceremony annually. Her dedication and support for the Legion earned her a life membership in 2011.