We hope that you will join us in finding ways to honor our fallen heroes everyday, but here are a few ways specific to Memorial Day:

• Buy a Poppy From the American Legion Auxiliary. The organization has been selling red crepe-paper poppies for Memorial Day and Veterans Day since 1925. John McCrea's 1915 poem, In Flanders Fields, which honors those who died in World War I, inspired this tradition. In Coeur d’Alene, Moscow and Spokane Valley, we’ve seen the American Legion Auxiliary selling poppy’s outside retail stores and grocery stores.
• Display the American Flag. On the morning of Memorial Day, raise the flag to the top of the staff before lowering it to half-staff. Leave it at half-staff until noon, when you can once again raise it to the top.
• Visit a Veteran’s Grave. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) maintains 131 national cemeteries, and many states have veteran cemeteries as well. Check the VA listings to find a cemetery in your area in Idaho or Washington State. This will also give you an idea of which local cemetery may host a Memorial Day ceremony.