PHOTO OP-ED: From Flanders field to Port Washington

Poppies famously grew in the storied WWI battlefield in the Flanders region of Belgium in 1915 and they “grew” in the hands of veterans at the Van Ells-Schanen American Legion Post in Port Washington in 2026. On March 25, Legion members crafted poppies to help meet a shortage of the red paper flowers that are distributed around Memorial Day in memory of armed service members who died in battle. The Marine Corps training Paul Federspiel (left) went through years ago wasn’t much help in creating poppies, but poppy-making trainer Ken Pope (right) was on hand to give some tips. Also at the event was Sue Hembrook (center), president of the Wisconsin American Legion Auxiliary. Photo by Sam Arendt