American Legion Auxiliary to disburse holiday flowers

Following the triumphant valor of the American Armed Services in World War I, the American Legion adopted the poppy as a symbol of freedom and the blood sacrificed by troops in wartime.

Throughout the month of May, the Imperial County American Legion Auxiliaries will have poppies for distribution, paid for by donation, to increase awareness of underprivileged veterans and families throughout California.

The American Legion Auxiliary adopted the poppy as its memorial flower in 1921.

Tradition since then has mandated all donations are reserved solely to assist active duty military, veterans and their families, noted Ruby Kapsalis, Auxiliary department secretary treasurer.

The Auxiliary produces the red crepe paper poppies, replica of the Flanders poppies, from a kit that comes from American Legion Emblem Sales (American Legion store).

Flanders was one of the WWI battlefields in Belgium. The use of the poppy symbolically comes from the poem, “In Flanders Fields,” which movingly begins, “In Flanders fields the poppies blow, between the cross, row on row.”

The verse refers to the poppies that sprang up in the churned-up soil of freshly dug soldiers’ graves spread across parts of Belgium and France. The poem was written by Lt. Col. John McCrea after witnessing the death of a fellow soldier.

In California, about 200,000 poppies are produced each year. But the poppies are distributed only during the month of May explained Kapsalis. California has nearly 300 units of veterans, who produce the poppies for distribution.

According to the American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Program Guide, new rules offer new ways to increase donations.

Producers can now use the symbolic red poppy in many shapes and forms to raise donations to support active duty military and veterans. Auxiliary members can now distribute the poppy symbol in buttons, balloons, stickers and pencils, so that nonmembers can show their support for the military and veterans too.

All funds raised go directly to veterans for assistance or emergencies in case of disaster, noted Kapsalis.

“We try to make the poppies into something more elaborate,” she said. “I made them into little corsages with red, white and blue ribbons a couple of years ago. Our unit distributed poppies on Wednesday. Once we get the donations, a portion goes to the veterans who actually make the poppies and a portion goes the American Legion Auxiliary.”