Good Morning Saline, From Gloria Near

Today's Good Morning Saline greeting is from Gloria Near, of the Saline American Legion Post 322 Auxiliary. Near and other volunteers will be selling memorial poppies Friday and Saturday at and Country Market.

Millions of the red paper poppies, handmade by veterans as part of their therapeutic rehabilitation, are distributed across America in exchange for donations used to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans.

According to the American Legion Auxiliary website, nearly 3.5 million poppies were distributed by units last year, raising $2.1 million.

The poppy has served as a reminder of war's bloodshed and the sacrifices of soldiers since World War I, when poppies grew wild on war-ravaged battle fields in Belgium. The poppy became synonymous with the sacrifices of soldiers with the famous poem by Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, In Flanders Fields.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
      Between the crosses, row on row,
   That mark our place; and in the sky
   The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
   Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
         In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
   The torch; be yours to hold it high.
   If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
         In Flanders fields.