National Poppy Day is May 24 this year (always the Friday before Memorial Day), and now is a great time to prepare.
 
If American Legion Auxiliary units want to distribute the traditional crepe paper poppies, they will need to procure an adequate supply of poppies — either from veteran poppy makers within their department/state, from American Legion Flag & Emblem Sales, or from other departments within the American Legion Auxiliary. Need help? Contact poppy@ALAforVeterans.org. If you’d like to learn how to assemble poppies, refer to the ALA Poppy Program Guide, which can be found in the MyAuxiliary member portal at www.ALAforVeterans.org.
 
National Poppy Day resources 

Visit www.ALAforVeterans.org/National-Poppy-Day to find resources as you make plans for your activities. Here you will find:
• Overview of the ALA Poppy Program: Learn more about the history of the poppy and the designation of the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day.
• Poppy funds information: Learn how ALA members can use poppy funds to support veterans and active-duty military.
• Tips on how to participate: There are many ways individuals and groups can help bring greater awareness to this symbolic flower, honor our fallen, and support the living on National Poppy Day. View suggestions of simple ways to get your community involved.
• ALA-branded banners: Use these National Poppy Day banner templates for printing on vinyl material to ensure your American Legion Family is always prominently displayed and represented at mission-related functions. Banner sizes are 8 feet by 2 feet and 8 feet by 3 feet.
• ALA-branded posters: Both 11-by-17-inch and 18-by-24-inch National Poppy Day posters are available in print-quality PDF formats. These posters can be printed at most commercial printers such as a FedEx Office/Kinko’s that offer oversized color digital printing. 
• ALA poppy coloring books: Consider ordering ALA poppy coloring books — a great way to educate kids about the meaning behind the poppy. The books are available for purchase from Emblem Sales and can be downloaded for free from www.ALAforVeterans.org.
• In Flanders Fields video: View and share a video of actor James McEachin providing a special reading of In Flanders Fields.
• Media templates and logos: Raise awareness and increase participation in your post, unit, and community.
• Link to the Poppy Shop at Emblem Sales: Purchase National Poppy Day pins, event supplies, and products.
 
Marketing your National Poppy Day and Memorial Day events

No matter what you have planned, an important part of every event is letting people know about it. Here are some tips to get the word out about your activities: 
• 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 like the meaning behind the poppy, In Flanders Fields, etc. Many of these posts can be shared from National Headquarters’ social media accounts 
@ALAforVeterans.
• Contact your local media: Send them a news release with the information about your event. Be sure to include the importance of the poppy and Memorial Day.
• Display branded flyers and posters: Distribute throughout the community and show at your post.
• Get it in the news: Include information in American Legion Family newsletters.