Commander's CorneR: Poppies + Fleet Week + Memorial Day

We are in the midst of one of the veteran sacred seasons. There is a lot going on right now. We have Poppy Day on Friday. Fleet Week is with us through the long weekend. We end with Memorial Day on Monday.

To learn more about Poppy Day and the history of this official flower of The American Legion, go here: National Poppy Day® | The American Legion

Fleet Week Information can be found here: Los Angeles Fleet Week | LA Fleet Week | Memorial Day Event | Southern California's Summer Kickoff Event

For Memorial Day activities, please read the 2nd Vice Commander report below. We will have activities at the Post. Many Legionnaires will be at the National Cemetery and of course, there’s everything happening at Fleet Week. I hope many of you will spend some time at the Post and also at other events representing the Post and The American Legion, as a whole.

The poppies and Memorial Day mean so much to me. It really gives us an opportunity to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. We can also keep them alive if we listen to that saying that ends with “a person dies the second time when their name is last spoken”. Speaks some names on Memorial Day. To give it even more meaning, speak some names of people you don’t know and make that they don’t die that second death on your watch.

I think the poppies and Memorial Day affect our “today” via bonding over a common cause. This not only applies to those who served but also to the entire Legion family. Legion, Auxiliary, Sons, and Riders all represent and we work together. We do this, in the now.

Finally, I think the poppies represent our future. They have a mentoring effect that can help us focus on our mission and give us all a common “why” for our continued service.

I’d ask everyone during this special week to remember. Remember the ultimate sacrifices made. Remember to take care of each other. Remember our mission.

If we can work towards these ends, we can make Hollywood Post 43 and The American Legion an even stronger force for veterans as well as “community, state, and nation”.

Please have a memorable Memorial Day and represent by wearing the poppy, proudly…for the good of the Legion.