Poppy
The first step necessary to assure success of Poppy Day is the appointment of a capable, enthusiastic chairman and committee. In selecting a chairmen, consideration should be given to her ability to organize the work within the Unit and also her ability to secure the greatest possible cooperation for the community as a whole.
Since the Unit's Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation and Children and Youth funds are derived from the annual poppy distribution, it is essential that it be a success. Pin the first poppy on the Mayor and ask him to issue a proclamation setting aside a day as Poppy Day, with an appeal to all citizens to observe the day by wearing a poppy.
Since the Unit's Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation and Children and Youth funds are derived from the annual poppy distribution, it is essential that it be a success. Pin the first poppy on the Mayor and ask him to issue a proclamation setting aside a day as Poppy Day, with an appeal to all citizens to observe the day by wearing a poppy.
Publicity for the Poppy Day
Because our poppy is an emblem of sacrifice, those who love it must make every effort to teach the public the true meaning of the flower. The success of the poppy distribution depends upon the advance publicity. If, in the season of Memorial Day, the poppy can make the indifferent public recall the sacrifices which have been made by the men and women who gave their lives that our country might be saved, the first and greatest mission of the poppy has been fulfilled.
The second mission is to win the confidence of the public through knowledge of the purposes to which The American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary expend the money derived from the poppy distribution. By means of publicity on the expenditure of the poppy proceeds, public confidence can be won. The public has the right to this information. Every Post and Unit should see what the poppy proceeds are so spent that publicity will bring honor and reward to our organization.
The public should also be reminded that the disabled men and women in hospitals, and their families are assisted by our poppy funds. The public will then know that The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary are continuing to keep faith with those who gave their all four our freedom.
Each year suggested publicity stories are prepared by National Headquarters and supplied without charge in sufficient quantity to Departments for distribution to each Unit. The stories are designed to be localized by the insertion of local names or to be rewritten from a local angle. This publication is entitled "Poppy Preview."
The second mission is to win the confidence of the public through knowledge of the purposes to which The American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary expend the money derived from the poppy distribution. By means of publicity on the expenditure of the poppy proceeds, public confidence can be won. The public has the right to this information. Every Post and Unit should see what the poppy proceeds are so spent that publicity will bring honor and reward to our organization.
The public should also be reminded that the disabled men and women in hospitals, and their families are assisted by our poppy funds. The public will then know that The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary are continuing to keep faith with those who gave their all four our freedom.
Each year suggested publicity stories are prepared by National Headquarters and supplied without charge in sufficient quantity to Departments for distribution to each Unit. The stories are designed to be localized by the insertion of local names or to be rewritten from a local angle. This publication is entitled "Poppy Preview."
Suggested Activities
The following is a suggested outline of activities to precede Poppy Day: Start a campaign of newspaper publicity which will educate the public about the significance of the poppy and the purpose for which the money is spent; organize a Poppy Speakers Bureau through which speakers will be available for meetings of all community organizations to acquaint them with the value of the poppy program, both from the standpoint of therapeutic value to the maker of the poppy and to the community itself.
Supplies for Poppy Day
Conduct a Poppy Poster Contest in the local schools and five attractive prizes to the winners. Feature a poppy window display. Window cards, windshield stickers, poppy stamps, poppy lapel streamers to identify American Legion an Auxiliary workers, "Thank Your for Caring" poppy leaflets, and offset printing repro sheets can be purchased through National Headquarters.
Poppy Facts
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 battle, and that a replica of this poppy has become the Memorial Flower of the American Legion Auxiliary.
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.
The American Legion Auxiliary adopted the poppy as its Memorial Flower at its organizing convention held in Kansas City, in October 1921.
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, thus fulfilling the true meaning of the poppy, an emblem of faith; faith which is being kept with all who died through service to the living.
The American Legion Auxiliary, in order to protest 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.
The memorial poppies are made of red crepe paper, by hand, by diabled 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.
The more than 25,000,000 poppies made by disable veterans are distributed on the streets under the supervision of the American Legion Auxiliary, by approximately 125,000 volunteer workers who receive no compensation?
Through the American Legion Auxiliary poppy program, more than $300,000 is paid annually to needy and disabled servicemen and servicewomen for making poppies.
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 chairman are assisted by state chairmen of similar committees, who in turn, work assisted by state 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.
The public is given an opportunity each year to help in the 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.
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.
The American Legion Auxiliary adopted the poppy as its Memorial Flower at its organizing convention held in Kansas City, in October 1921.
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, thus fulfilling the true meaning of the poppy, an emblem of faith; faith which is being kept with all who died through service to the living.
The American Legion Auxiliary, in order to protest 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.
The memorial poppies are made of red crepe paper, by hand, by diabled 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.
The more than 25,000,000 poppies made by disable veterans are distributed on the streets under the supervision of the American Legion Auxiliary, by approximately 125,000 volunteer workers who receive no compensation?
Through the American Legion Auxiliary poppy program, more than $300,000 is paid annually to needy and disabled servicemen and servicewomen for making poppies.
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 chairman are assisted by state chairmen of similar committees, who in turn, work assisted by state 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.
The public is given an opportunity each year to help in the 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.
Uses of the Poppy Fund
Whereas, By resolution 69 of The American Legion at its National Executive Committee meeting in April 1953, The American Legion did enact a mandate with reference to the use of funds derived from the distribution of poppies; and
Whereas, The American Legion Auxiliary has followed such mandates in the expenditure of such funds; and
Whereas, The recent enlargemnet of membership eligibility to include Vietnam veterans and our experience in the Hospital Volunteer program indicate that certain changes should be considered in this American Legion mandate; now, therefore, be it
Resoved: By the National Executive Committee of The American Legion, assembled in Indianapolis, Indiana, May 3-4, 1967, that funds derived from the distribution of The American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary poppy shall be used for the following purposes only:
Whereas, The American Legion Auxiliary has followed such mandates in the expenditure of such funds; and
Whereas, The recent enlargemnet of membership eligibility to include Vietnam veterans and our experience in the Hospital Volunteer program indicate that certain changes should be considered in this American Legion mandate; now, therefore, be it
Resoved: By the National Executive Committee of The American Legion, assembled in Indianapolis, Indiana, May 3-4, 1967, that funds derived from the distribution of The American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary poppy shall be used for the following purposes only:
- For the rehabilitation of veterans honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces after April 6, 1917.
- For the welfare of the families of veterans of the above named periods.
- For the rehabilitation of hospitalized servicemen returning home and awaiting discharge who require treatment in service hospitals.
- To defray the expenses of Children and Youth and Veteran Affairs and Rehabilitation Chairmen in attending authorized conferences at which they are accredited representatives, and the expenses of the Director of Hospital Volunteer Schools to National Leadership Workshops, and to defray administrative expenses of Service Department, provided that both The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary Department approve such use of funds within the Department.
- For Transportation expenses of Hospital Volunteers and the purchase of Hospital Volunteer uniforms, if a Department of the American Legion Auxiliary so desires, as well as expenditures on behalf of the Field Service program, if a Department of the American Legion Auxiliary so desires, all within the limits of the guidelines established by the National American Legion Auxiliary.
