Proclamation signed by Chairman W. Brooke Harris
Whereas, the American Legion Family brought National Poppy Day to the United States by asking congress to designate the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day; and
Whereas, the custom can be traced back to 1918 when Moina Michael popularized the idea of wearing a poppy flower in memory of the lives lost in WW I which was inspired from the poem in Flanders Fields, written by Colonel John McCrae in his sorrow at looking at rows and rows of graves where his comrades recently had been buried; and
Whereas, National Poppy Day is a strong renewal of our nation’s commitment to a powerful reminder of the cost of our freedom with 100 years of rich tradition; and
Whereas, millions of people worldwide wear, display, and distribute the poppy as a call to honor living veterans and those who lost their lives; and
Whereas, the Allegany County Board of Legislators wishes to honor the sacrifices that people in the military make to protect our country;
Now, therefore, I, W. Brooke Harris, Chairman of the Allegany County Board of Legislators, do hereby proclaim Friday, May 26, 2023, to be Poppy Day in Allegany County and encourage all citizens to support our military community by promoting the significance and meaning of the poppy.
Read more about Poppy Day from the Library of Congress:
https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2021/11/100-years-of-poppy-day-in-the-united-kingdom/
