Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 29, 2010

14

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Mountain Views News Saturday, May 29, 2010


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A LASTING SYMBOL OF MEMORIAL DAY: The Red Poppy

In 1915, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” Moina Michael replied with her own poem: 

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died 
serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-
workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France 
was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when 
she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and 
widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children’s 
League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded 
a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 
the VFW became the first veterans’ organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their 
“Buddy” Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans.


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