It was the first fundraising event the RSL sub-branch has been able to hold all year due to COVID restrictions, and volunteers were out in force to make up for lost time.

One of them was 91-year-old veteran Peter Randal, who has been volunteering for various RSL sub-branches since 1967.

"I don't mind doing it. You meet a lot of funny people," Mr Randal said.

"If I was 18 I'd do it all over again."

He was joined by fellow veteran Alan Evans, 90, who helped man the poppy stands and inform shoppers that Remembrance Day would in fact be going ahead this year.

Mr Evans has been volunteering for the RSL since 1963, and he said he was glad to be able to keep the tradition alive and well in Wagga.

"I thought of all the blokes that didn't come back, and I joined to do it for some of my mates that did come home," Mr Evans said.

He was also one of the lucky ones, having returned safely from several deployments to Korea, Malaya, and Vietnam during his army career.

Wagga RSL sub-branch president David Gardiner said it was a relief to be able to continue their poppy drive, after having been prevented from running their Anzac badge drive in April this year.

RSL clubs were only given the green light to continue their fundraising activities last week, meaning that this year's poppy drive was cut short by several weeks.

Nevertheless, Mr Gardiner said the team of volunteers had made a valiant effort to make up for the shortfall, and that the community had been keen to show their support through their poppy purchases.

"It's been really exceptional for the amount of selling spots available and the number of volunteers able to do it," Mr Gardiner said.

"It's been wonderful to be able to get out and sell a few poppies and draw people's attention to the fact that it's Remembrance Day."

Wagga's Remembrance Day service will be held at the Victory Memorial Gardens at 11am on November 11.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Remembrance Day will be going ahead as normal across most of the Riverina, with the exception of some smaller towns such as Culcairn which has cancelled this year's ceremony.

Services elsewhere in The Rock, Lockhart, Gundagai, Tumut and other outlying areas will be continuing, albeit with certain coronavirus restrictions in place.

Crowds of up to 100 people will be allowed for one day only as part of a one-off exemption from the usual COVID-19 cap of 20 people per outdoor gathering.

All of the local RSL sub-branches have a COVID safety plan they will be following, and they will be enforcing the usual social distancing rules for social gatherings.