Memorial Day Poppy Facts: DO YOU KNOW

 

May 23, 2018



THAT in the spring of 1919, amidst complete devastation, the poppies bloomed in abundance on the battlefields of France where so many of our men had fallen in battle, and that replica of this poppy has become the Memorial Flower of the American Legion Auxiliary?

THAT The American Legion was the first national organization to adopt the poppy as its Memorial Flower, having taken this action at the National Convention in Cleveland, September 27-29, 1920?

THAT the American Legion Auxiliary adopted the poppy as its Memorial Flower at its organizing convention held in Kansas City, in October 1921.

THAT at the time the American Legion Auxiliary adopted the poppy, it pledged 100% of the profits from the poppy distribution to welfare relief for servicemen and servicewomen and their families, this fulfilling the true meaning of the poppy, an emblem of faith; faith which is being kept with all who does through service to the living?

THAT the American Legion Auxiliary, in order to protect the memorial poppy from the inroads of commercialism, adopted a national poppy program at the St. Paul Convention in 1924 which eliminated the commercial poppy?

THAT the memorial poppies are made of red crepe paper, by hand, by disabled veterans in hospitals and poppy workrooms in forty states, and that the workers receive pay for each poppy made, the material being furnished free by the Department in the state in which the hospital is located?

THAT the more than 25,000,000 poppies made by disabled veterans are distributed on the streets under the supervision of the American legion Auxiliary, by approximately 125,000 volunteer workers who receive no compensation?

THAT through the American Legion Auxiliary poppy program, more than $300,000 is paid annually to needy and disabled servicemen and servicewomen for making the poppies.

THAT proceeds from the distribution of over 25,000,000 poppies annually under the guidance of the American Legion Auxiliary amount to more than $2,000,000, every penny of which is devoted to Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation work by both The American Legion and Auxiliary, which includes aid to needy veterans and their families? The method of distribution varies in each Department, depending upon the nature of the demands for help. Each of our 10,500 Units in communities scattered all over the United States, its territorial possessions, and in foreign countries where veterans reside, maintains a Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Committee working under a chairman, and a Children and Youth Committee with its chairman. These Unit chairmen are assisted by Department chairmen of similar committees, who, in turn, work under the guidance of a National Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Chairman and a National Children and Youth Chairman.

THAT the public is given an opportunity each year to help in significant work of The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary, as well as an opportunity to pay tribute to all who died in service, by wearing a poppy on Poppy Day?

 
 

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