American Legion to honor fallen soldiers with poppies

Honor fallen warriors and contribute to the continuing needs of veterans this Memorial Day weekend. The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 82 will be distributing bright red poppies on May 27 and 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Giant and Chick-fil-A in La Plata on May 27 from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. in exchange for a donation. You may also stop by the American Legion Post 82 at 6330 Crain Highway, La Plata to pick up a poppy and make a donation. 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.

Wearing the poppy 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 and through the donations collected.

When the American Legion family 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 funds each year distributing poppies throughout the nation, with 100 percent of the funds raised going directly to help veterans.