Volunteers of a Royal Canadian Legion branch in Elmsdale, N.S., say they are hurt and disappointed by the way a local Dollarama rejected the non-profit’s poppy tray and donation boxes.

On Oct. 27, volunteers from the Elmsdale Legion carried out their annual delivery of poppies and donation boxes to local businesses. That afternoon, an employee from Elmsdale’s Dollarama came by the Legion’s office to return two poppy trays delivered to the store earlier in the day.

"She explained that she was working at the Dollarama when the poppies were delivered, and that when one of the supervisors came in, the supervisor got upset and said they weren’t allowed to do the poppy campaign," Ann Creamer, president of the Elmsdale Legion, told CTV Atlantic.

The employee told Creamer that the supervisor threw the two poppy trays left by Legion volunteers "underneath the cabinet."

"[The employee] was upset because relatives of hers were veterans, and her husband is in the military," Creamer said. "She totally supported the poppy campaign, so she was upset that her employer wasn’t supporting it."

In a statement, a Dollarama spokesperson told CTV Atlantic that the Elmsdale Dollarama was acting in accordance with the retailer’s nation-wide policy to prevent theft.

"Dollarama does not allow for the placement of unattended donation boxes from any third party at the cash or elsewhere in the store," the statement said. "Check-out areas are high-traffic zones for associates to manage, with limited space, and unfortunately, a high risk for theft."

According to Legion member and volunteer Marion Manning, the nation-wide policy hasn’t been as firm in recent years.

"Last year we received a phone call from them asking us to bring up trays – they wanted to put them on their counters," Manning told CTV Atlantic.

Two years ago, however, the poppies were turned down upon arrival at Elmsdale’s Dollarama, Manning said, calling the policy confusing and hurtful.

"It’s disrespectful to [my husband] Gary, putting his life on the line, and other vets. It just shouldn’t be happening."

Manning has written a letter to Dollarama, but for now the poppy trays will remain off the retailer’s counters.

In its statement, Dollarama also said the company donates $10,000 to the Royal Canadian Legion’s poppy fund every year.

Still, some Elmsdale Legion volunteers said they won’t be shopping at any Dollarama locations in the near future.

With a report from CTV Atlantic’s Laura Brown