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Algoma American Legion to distribute poppies this weekend

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Alexis and Lillian Klimek are the 2018 Poppy Princesses for Algoma American Legion Post 236 and will be among those distributing Legion poppies this weekend and on Memorial Day in Algoma. Alexis and Lillian are the daughters of Amanda Blahnik and granddaughters of American Legion Auxilary President Lynn Conard and Cmdr. Cletus Conard.

ALGOMA - Algoma American Legion Post 236 will distribute poppies Friday and Saturday, May 18 and 19, at several sites around the city, as well as on Memorial Day.

The poppy was designated the official flower of the American Legion on Sept. 27, 1920, to memorialize soldiers who died in combat during World War I. In 1924, the Legion began its national poppy distribution program to commemorate the veterans.

Poppies flourished in Europe after the war, which according to the Legion's website was attributed to vast amounts of lime from the rubble of the war that were absorbed into the soil. The website says the bright red flowers came to symbolize the blood that was shed, especially following the publication of Lt. Col. John McCrae's wartime poem, "In Flanders Fields," which opens, "In Flanders Fields the poppies blow/Between the crosses row on row...."

Poppies will be distributed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Denny's Super Valu, 510 Fifth St.; and Piggly Wiggly, 2025 Lake St. They also will be available from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday outside Steele Street Floral, 300 Steele St., with a short Armed Forces Day Salute at 11:30 a.m. at the Main Street Car Show on Steele. There is no charge for poppies, although donations are appreciated.

On hand to help distribute poppies will be sisters Alexis and Lillian Klimek, the 2018 Poppy Princesses for Legion Post 236.

The Legion and its princesses also will distribute poppies at a ceremony following the Memorial Day parade at 10 a.m. May 28. The ceremony is at Legion Park, 613 Second St., Algoma.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Algoma American Legion to distribute poppies this weekend

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