A woman on Newfoundland's west coast says Newfoundland Power is preventing her from showing her support for Canadian troops in Afghanistan.

Anita Wheeler had wanted to staple small, yellow ribbons to power poles along the main road in her community of Meadows.

She said she cannot understand why Newfoundland Power has told her to not place the yellow ribbons — a universal symbol of support for troops — on power poles.

"You go around, you can see things on poles — yard sale posters, birthday posters. So it's just a little bow. It's not a big thing," said Wheeler, whose husband is with the Armed Forces and was recently sent to Afghanistan.

"It means everything. It's just to know that the support is there and that we think of all of them."

Newfoundland Power says it forbids posting anything to its poles.

The utility says even one staple can cut a worker's protective clothing, putting them at risk of electrical shock.

Wheeler said she will now go door to door through Meadows and ask residents if she can put the ribbons on their property.