As a boy growing up in California I have a deep remembrance of plastic red poppies being given out on Memorial Day by the VFW. They would look for donations at that time and my parents would always give. I still look for the VFW members to this day so that I can donate and wear a red poppy. I have generations of soldiers in my family. I wondered where this tradition actually came from?

In Flanders FieldsBy John McCrae

**In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.**

Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.**

As WWI wound down a Georgia girl by the name of Moina Michael was inspired by the poem "In Flander's Field", by John McCrea. She pursued the idea of making a red poppy the symbolic flower remembering those who had fought to protect us. She was successful in her endeavors and her story is in the paper above. The Veterans of Foreign Wars continue today to pass out red poppies in hope of donations to their group.

Memorial Day, A Day For Remembering!