May is Poppy Month. Wear a poppy to show support for our fallen warriors and contribute to the continuing needs of our veterans during our National Poppy Day distribution event taking place Thursday, May 25, through Saturday, May 27. Members of the American Legion Auxiliary Chaska Unit 57, American Legion Chaska Post 57, and the Sons of the American Legion Chaska Squadron 57 will be distributing bright red poppies outside of these local businesses: Cub Foods, Mill’s Fleet Farm, Cooper’s Foods and Chaser’s Beverage Center.
The Flanders Fields poppy has become an internationally known and recognized symbol of the lives sacrificed in war and the hope that none died in vain. The American Legion called upon Congress to proclaim the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day, it did in 2017.
Wearing the poppy on National Poppy Day and throughout Memorial Day weekend is one small way to honor and remember our fallen warriors who willingly served our nation and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
The poppy also honors hospitalized and disabled veterans who handcraft many of the red, crepe paper flowers. Making the poppies provides a financial and therapeutic benefit to the veterans, as well as a benefit to thousands of other veterans.
When The American Legion 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. The American Legion Auxiliary raises about $4 million each year by distributing poppies throughout the nation, with 100 percent of the funds raised going directly to help veterans, active military members, and their families.
Please show your respect for our veterans and wear a poppy this Memorial Day weekend and throughout the year. If you are a member of the Chaska American Legion Family (auxiliary, post, SAL, or Legion Riders) and are interested in volunteering to distribute poppies, please contact me at babco006@umn.edu.
American Legion Auxiliary Chaska Unit 57