Something I didn't know

Hello All: Today I went to Safeway at Lunch and donated to The American Legion Auxiliary for a red crepe paper poppy. The women handed me a peice of paper explaining the poppy so I thought I would share it with you.

The red crepe paper poppy, replica of the Flanders Poppy, was officially adopted in 1921 as the Memorial Flower of the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary. Through the years it has become the symbol of the dead - their memorial flower.
The rec crepe paper poppy is hand-made exclusively but hospitalized veterans of World Wars, Korean Was, Vietnam War, Grenada/Lebanon and Panama conflicts, and the PersianGulf War. It is made of paper to give the veteran a maximum amount of work and income. IN MANY CASES THE INCOME DERIVED FROM THIS SOURCE CONSTITUTES THE ONLY INCOME OF THAT HOSPITALIZED VETERAN.
Each year volunteer works, members of the American Legion Auxiliary, offer these poppies to the public, to be worn by them on Memorial Day, so that they may pay tribute to the Nation's honored war dead.
All contributions made by the public are used by the American Legion Auxiliary exclusively for the welfare of the needy veterans and their families throughout the state of California.

So if you see someone offering the red crepe paper poppy please pick one up.

Thanks, Susan G. Thomas