This year’s Poppy Fund campaign appears to have come up short.

“We’re down about $50,000 at this stage of our campaign,” campaign spokesman Joey Bleviss tells 660News. “To date we’ve collected approximately $357,000.”

He adds donations are still being counted, but Calgary’s high cost of living seems to be taking its toll on contributions.

“The grocery bills are going up, rents are going up,” says Bleviss. “And there are other charities that are also looking for the same support.  In some ways we’re chasing the same dollar.”

Regardless of the final total, Bleviss says vets won’t pay the price — again.

“We just have to hope that the citizens of Calgary and the business community will help us,” adds Bleviss. “We won’t cut back on our veterans’ needs. We will find an avenue to support the veterans and their dependents as we have in the past.”

You can still make donations to the Poppy Fund by stopping by any Legion branch in the city.