This is what I was thinking about as I ran around town doing errands this weekend. As I was coming out of the local grocery store, there was a Viet Nam Veteran selling poppies to commemorate Memorial Day. I have always bought poppies to support our veterans. I have a number of them wrapped around my rear view mirror.
This made me wonder why the poppy?
The poppy is a worldwide symbol of sacrifice worn to honor the men and women who served and died for their country in all wars.
It all started back in 1918 when Moina Michael, an American woman, saw a magazine article about John McCrae’s famous wartime poem:
“In Flanders fields the poppies blow,
Between the crosses, row on row.” ...
According to reports, she was inspired to try to make red poppies the flower of remembrance. Poppies were made and distributed, and the first sale of the red poppies to the public was by the Boy Scouts of America in 1919.
In 1920, Michael took a delegation from Georgia to the American Legion national convention, where the poppy was adopted as the national memorial flower of the American Legion. The auxiliary of the American Legion followed suit soon after, as did the VFW.
It continues today and provides many benefits to our veterans and the community. Veterans make the flowers, earn a small wage and receive physical and mental activity that provides many therapeutic benefits.
About this time each year — close to Memorial Day — auxiliary volunteers distribute millions of the bright red crepe paper poppies. ... Donations are used exclusively to assist and support veterans and their families. Most of all, the poppy reminds the community of the continuing needs of our veterans.
On this Memorial Day, as we unofficially begin our summer, let us remember those who did not come home and for those who did come home and are still struggling with the effects of war.
Information from Waite Park American Legion Auxiliary