American Legion Auxiliary Post 766 will distribute red poppies on National Poppy Day, May 23, to raise funds for local veterans and their families.

The three-hour event runs from 9 a.m. to noon at 835 W Broadway St. in Bradley.

Members will exchange red poppies for donations, with 100 percent of the funds going directly to veteran support programs.

National Poppy Day, observed on the Friday before Memorial Day, honors fallen service members and raises money for veterans in need. The red poppy became the symbol of sacrifice after World War I, immortalized in the poem “In Flanders Fields,” which describes the blood-red flowers growing on European battlefields.

The American Legion Family adopted the poppy as its official memorial flower in the early 1920s. Congress officially designated the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day in 2017.

Becky McCleery, president of ALA Post 766, said the poppy remains a powerful way to remember those who died in service.

“Wearing the poppy on National Poppy Day and 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,” President of ALA Post 766 Becky McCleery said in a news release. “We must never forget.”

The American Legion Auxiliary raises millions of dollars each year, distributing poppies throughout the nation.

In Kankakee County, Post 766 uses the funds to support local veterans, military members, and their families through emergency assistance, healthcare, and community programs.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Becky McCleery at (815) 278-2827 or mccleery2018@gmail.com.