The poppy, a symbol of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

On Thursday, the Carbon County Commissioners recognized this symbol by adopting a proclamation recognizing May 25 as National Poppy Day.

The proclamation, which Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard read, stated that during the Memorial Day weekend, many Americans will proudly wear a poppy as a symbol of sacrifice by Americans since World War I.

The roots of the poppy after World War I start in Europe, where the flower flourished as a result of soils in France and Belgium becoming enriched with lime from the rubble left by the war.

“From the dirt and mud grew the beautiful red poppy, which came to symbolize the blood shed during battle following the publication of the wartime poem ‘In Flanders Fields,’” Gerhard read.

Since then, it has been customary to wear the flower to show respect for the sacrifices many Americans and allied service members from around the world made.

Members of the Weatherly American Legion Post 360’s auxiliary accepted the proclamation because of the poppy being the official memorial flower of the American Legion across the nation since 1920.

They thanked the county for helping to recognize the symbolism in the poppy.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein urged all to support the veterans organizations in remembering those who gave their life for their country by buying poppies and attending Memorial Day services and parades.