National Poppy Day® and Memorial Day will be here before we know it! If you haven’t started making your plans, now is the time.
National Poppy Day is May 27th this year (the Friday before Memorial Day). The past two years, many of you found new ways to host Poppy Day events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With restrictions easing across the country, your unit may be returning to in-person events or doing a combination of both the traditional and the newer events.
Here are some ideas on what your Legion Family can do and how to spread the news to the public on what you have planned!
Ideas on how to distribute poppies:
- At your post home, place poppies in a vase at each table with a donation can.
- Contact a local business to see if you can set up a table to distribute poppies.
- Ask businesses to display poppy donation cans and jars.
- Distribute poppies at Memorial Day weekend events in your area.
- Hand out poppies at your post home and invite the public.
- Set-up a display at a local library.
- Have a drive-thru poppy event at your post home.
Marketing your event
No matter what you have planned, an important part of every event is letting people know about it.
- Social media – Post your event on social media. Let people know when and where the event will be. Also, as we approach National Poppy Day, consider posting poppy related information – the meaning behind the poppy, In Flanders Fields, etc. Many of these posts can be shared from national ALA social media accounts (@ALAforVeterans).
- Local media – Contact your local media. Send them a press release with the information about your event. Be sure to include the importance of the poppy and Memorial Day.
- Flyers – Hang flyers at your post home and distribute throughout the community.
- Newsletters – Include information in Legion Family newsletters.
Poppy Funds
If you have questions on how poppy funds can be used, we encourage you to watch a recording of the ALA Academy webinar,
Using Poppy Funds to Serve our Mission.
Resources
We’d love to hear what you are doing for National Poppy Day and Memorial Day. Drop us a line at
ALAMagazine@ALAforVeterans.org.
By Jennifer Donovan, Staff Writer
