This Friday, May 26, is the inaugural National Poppy Day, as proclaimed by Congress.
According to a press release from the American Legion auxiliary, when the American Legion family adopted the poppy as its memorial flower in the early 1920s, the blood-red icon became an enduring symbol of honor for the sacrifices of our veterans from the battlefields of France in World War I to today’s global war on terror.
Last fall, both The American Legion and the American Legion uxiliary passed resolutions in support of declaring the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day. The American Legion Auxiliary raises $5-6 million each year distributing poppies throughout the nation, with 100 percent of the funds raised going directly to help veterans.
National Poppy Day is a renewal of our nation’s commitment to a powerful reminder of the cost of our freedom with 100 years of rich tradition, according to the press release. Millions of people worldwide wear the poppy as a call to honor living veterans and those who lost their lives.
To observe National Poppy Day, all citizens are encouraged to wear the poppy to honor those who sacrificed their lives to provide them their freedom from World War One a century ago to today’s global war on terror.
