POPPIES:

CAPT. JOHN MILLS HANSON, F.A.
IN The Stars And Stripes, A.E.F., France

POPPIES in the wheat fields on the pleasant hills of France,
Reddening in the summer breeze that bids them nod and dance;
Over them the skylark sings his lilting, liquid tune--
Poppies in the wheat fields, and all the world in June.

Poppies in the wheat fields on the road to Monthiers--
Hark, the spiteful rattle where the masked machine guns play!
Over them the shrapnel's song greets the summer morn--
Poppies in the wheat fields--but, ah, the fields are torn.

See the stalwart Yankee lads, never ones to blench,
Poppies in their helmets as they clear the shallow trench,
Leaping down the furrows with eager, boyish tread
Through the poppied wheat field to the flaming woods ahead.

Poppies in the wheat fields as sinks the summer sun,
Broken, bruised and trampled--but the bitter day is won;
Yonder in the woodland where the flashing rifles shine,
With their poppies in their helmets, the front files hold the line,

Poppies in the wheat fields; how' still beside them lie
Scattered forms that stir not when the star shells burst on high;
Gently bending o'er them beneath the moon's soft glance,
Poppies of the wheat fields on the ransomed hills of France

Poppy Days Events

• A number of events were scheduled for today and tomorrow, so you may have already seen a poppy drive or two out there!

• Jupiter, FL: Members of the Auxiliary of American Legion Post No. 271 will be distributing red, handcrafted poppies, in honor of America's war dead, on Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13, at three locations in Jupiter.

• Tehachapi, CA: The Tehachapi American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 221, has received notice that the official 2006 Poppy Days will be May 14 through May 20. Members of the American Legion and the Auxiliary will be on hand to offer the hand-made poppies and explain the meaning of them.

• Lansing and Menominee, MI: American Legion Auxiliary Dept of Michigan holds its Poppy Days on May 18-20, 2006.

• Hastings, MN: The Buddy Poppy will be in Hastings businesses by the end of this week. Hastings Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1210 and its auxiliary are sponsoring the annual drive, which will conclude with annual Poppy Days May 19 in Hastings.

• Fort Pierce, FL: Sebastian's American Legion Post 189 and Auxiliary Members and Legionnaires will be stationed throughout the community May 19-20 for the annual distribution of these precious remembrances, says Shirley Thornton. Alice Leclerc is Poppy chairman. The VFW also distributes poppies before Memorial Day. In Barefoot Bay, VFW Post and Auxiliary 4425 will be out in force at Barefoot Bay locations, Winn- Dixie, from May 22-27 and Wachovia Bank, May 22-26, according to Joe Walker, post commander and Poppy chairman.

• Warrenville, IL: Buddy Poppy Days May 19-20, 2006

• Ellwood City, PA:  May  20-21, 2006 Poppy Days throughout Ellwood City. Support Disabled Vets. Buy a poppy during Poppy Days.

• Western Springs, IL: Poppy Days will be Wednesday, May 24, and Thursday, May 25, when the Veterans of Foreign Wars Western Springs Memorial Post 10778 collects donations for the Veterans Relief Fund. Since 1990, the post has donated several thousand dollars per year to meet the needs of patients and families at the Department of Veterans Affairs Edward Hines Jr. Hospital and the VFW National Home for Widows and Children in Eaton Rapids, Mich. The post welcomes donations, (708) 246-5759.

Please share your own local Poppy Days events in comments.

You may wish to find your local American Legion office and ask when this event will take place in your own neighborhood. I'll close the list on what may be the perfect little poem, written by one of the poppy makers at Yountville's [CA] Veterans Home:

A scrap of blood red paper,
A twist of green and black:
We make these poppies in memory,
Of the men who never came back

Far from home and loved ones,
They sleep in foreign lands;
So wear this poppy proudly,
Remembering for whom it stands.

Creative and Helpful Actions

Of course you don't have to do all of these! I wanted to offer a variety of actions that can fit into anyone's budget or personality. Give, donate, volunteer what you can...

Read Love Letters Home to America From Our Troops
Presented by the America Supports You website, read through a few of the thousands of comments left by our troops serving overseas. This will get you in the mood for some of the actions that follow... Read Letters

Deliver a Care Package
Fill it with some of the items on this handy list [pdf file]. Packing and mailing instructions also included. Please do not send to 'Any Service Member' --  they will not be accepted. Instead, find a lucky troop to 'adopt' at AnySoldier.com.

Share a Good Book (or Two)
If you're a writer (and obviously we all are here), chances are you're a voracious reader, too. Do you have some dusty books on your shelves at home? Why not recycle them by sending them to our troops overseas? Books for Soldiers has all of the tools necessary to link you up with the troop(s) looking for just the books you're ready to part with. One of my favorites on this list...

Help Those Coping With PTSD
Gift from Within is a non-profit organization dedicated to those who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), those at risk for PTSD, and those who care for traumatized individuals. They develop and disseminate educational material, including videotapes, articles, books, and other resources through its website and maintain a roster of survivors who are willing to participate in an international network of peer support. Donate online via PayPal button, or send a check by mail: Gift from Within, 16 Cobb Hill Rd., Camden, Maine 04843

Treat a Soldier to a Baseball Game
The San Francisco Giants and Operation Care and Comfort are hosting their 3rd Annual Salute to Our Military Game on May 26 at 7:15 pm in San Francisco, CA. From the website: "Celebrate the start of Memorial Day weekend and our Armed Forces for our annual Salute to the Military Day complete with post-game fireworks. Thousands of uniformed service men and women will be in attendance and the Giants will be celebrating the night with plenty of pageantry." You'll also get a one-of-a-kind Giants Salute to the Military Night desert camouflage Giants military bucket cap. Game Details | ARC "Tickets for Troops" Donations

Provide Comfort and Home-style Services to Troops Worldwide
"The USO is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide morale, welfare and recreation-type services to our men and women in uniform. The original intent of Congress – and enduring style of USO delivery – is to represent the American people by extending a touch of home to the military. The USO currently operates more than 120 centers worldwide, including seven mobile canteens located in the continental United States and overseas. Services include information referral services, Internet and e-mail access, housing and emergency assistance and support groups, entertainment of our troops, etc. Donate online.

Satisfy a Soldier's Sweet Tooth
The Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County offer everyone the opportunity to purchase Girl Scout cookies for those serving overseas. All cookies will be donated to Operation: Care and Comfort who will take care of the shipping. Last year, this program sold over 40,000 boxes donated to our troops! Contact Julie DeMaria at (408) 373-8635 or troopsupport@comcast.net. Learn More

Help Military Families Stay Near Their Hospitalized Troop
From the Follow Me to DC website: "Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers....Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 8,500 families, and have made available more than two million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990." Learn More | Donate Online

Buy a Wristband, Support Children Who've Lost a Parent
Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund, Inc. is honoring Specialist Patrick J. Sullivan by giving all proceeds of their "Some Gave All" wristbands purchased online in their store now through July 4 to military families from Fort Bragg who've lost a loved one in the WoT. Order Online

Support Emergency Medical Care for Our Troops
From DFJtoo's diary: "Angel Flight for Veterans work to provide long distance transportation for Veterans in need of Medical care.  Angel Flight for Veterans is a nonprofit organization that works to ensure that no financially-needy veteran / active duty military person or their family member(s) is denied access to distant specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or rehabilitation for lack of a means of long-distance medical air transportation. Patients needing help call the National Patient Travel HELPLINE at 1-800-296-1217." Learn More | Donate Online

Answer the Call: Donate a Free Phone Card
Organized by the USO (and much needed by our troops): "Operation Phone Home is a campaign designed to provide prepaid international calling cards to as many of our service men and women overseas as possible. This program designates 100% of monetary donations to the purchase and distribution of 100, 300 and 500 minute global calling cards to deployed service members." Donate Online

Help To House Our Severly Wounded Troops
Also from DFJtoo's diary: "Homes For Our Troops provides handicap accessible homes for our severely wounded Veterans.  Homes for Our Troops is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization strongly committed to helping those who have selflessly given to their country and have returned home with serious disabilities and injuries. They assist injured service men and women and their immediate families by raising donations of money, building materials and professional labor and coordinating the process of building a new home or adapting an existing home for handicapped accessibility. With the growing network of professionals in the building industry, building material manufacturers, and generous donors from across the USA, Homes for Our Troops is able to provide this service at little or no cost to the veteran." Learn More | Donate Online

Buy a Military Family a Bag of Groceries
Operation Homefront, a nonprofit committed to helping to ease the burden of military families left behind during times of war, makes it easy to help. Purchase commissary gift certificates in denominations of $10 or $25. Purchase Online

Volunteer Your Time to Help Military Families
Operation Homefront, a nonprofit committed to helping to ease the burden of military families left behind during times of war, always needs a few extra hands. Locate a chapter nearest you and roll up your sleeves!

In Gratitude and Thanks

Please do what you can, 'pin a poppy on', donate, volunteer...whatever feels right in remembrance of those who've sacrificed so much for our country. Thanks.