Tuesday, May 18, 2010

To Keep Them In Our Hearts..

This blog post is dedicated to my dad, Grant Haven, who passed away a little over 3 years ago and served as a Naval Radioman aboard a PB4Y2 Aircraft in WWII.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May.

In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies


Cherry Blossom Lampwork Beaded Bracelet
She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.
Why not celebrate Memorial Day this year in style by wearing Handmade Jewelry Haven's 'Cherry Blossom' bracelet, a beautiful red lampwork bead bracelet and 'Cherry Blossom' matching earrings? Find them both at our Handmade Jewelry Haven Etsy Shop Here.
source; US Memorial Day


Jewel Blog Sig photo Jewel Sig_zpsoi88flxw.png

3 comments:

  1. What a beautiful tribute to your dad. Thank you so much for sharing the story of the poppies and for creating beautiful tribute jewelry. <3

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  2. I am really sorry to hear about dad but i must that i am sure your dad will be happy to see this from heaven , you are doing a great work, keep it up.

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  3. Thank you for the kind comments. I truely know that he is looking down with proud eyes.

    I visited your ArtFire page and 'Liked' you!!
    Thank you again for taking the time to visit my blog.

    Lisa

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