Poppies will be available for purchase Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Smith’s Marketplace in Los Alamos and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Smith’s in White Rock. The American Legion Auxiliary will accept donations for the poppies. Funds raised in Los Alamos last year were used for transportation, clothing, meals and socks for hospitalized veterans. Connecting the visual image of the poppy with the sacrifice of service made by veterans has been an important goal of the American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Program since its inception in 1921. On Memorial Day and Veterans Day, millions of red crepe paper poppies—all handmade by veterans as part of their therapeutic rehabilitation—are distributed across the country in exchange for donations that go directly to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans in our communities. For more information, visit www.ALAforVeterans.org. In addition, Los Alamos County Council presented a proclamation to Marie Todd declaring May 25, 2019 Poppy Day in Los Alamos County. Todd, who has been the face of the Poppy Program in Los Alamos County for many years, will be present Saturday at Smith’s in White Rock. Courtesy photo