To some, a red poppy may be nothing more than a pretty flower. To veterans and the people who support them, however, the poppy has a deeper meaning. For decades, the flower has been a symbol of remembrance, stemming from the poem "In Flanders Fields," which details the flowers growing on battlefields and in cemeteries, a stark contrast of life in the midst of death. While poppies are often associated with Veterans Day, the flowers take on a significant role at other times of the year as well. In Bainbridge, poppies are at the heart of Memorial Day commemorations.

The Bainbridge American Legion Post 197 will host its annual Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 26. The parade will form at 8:30 a.m. and will step off at 9 a.m. It will leave from Bainbridge Elementary School, 416 N. Second St., and it will head south to the Locust Grove Cemetery, where a ceremony will be held.

"The parade is open to anyone, and every year the lineup is different," said Gina Mariani, parade organizer. "Last year, Mrs. Pennsylvania showed up. We've had the Legion Riders, and state Rep. Tom Jones was there."

One thing remains constant in the parade, however: the poppy kids.

As Mariani explained, the poppy kids sell poppies to raise money to support patients at the Lebanon VA Medical Center.

"In the past for poppy nominees, we would go into the fifth-grade class at Bainbridge (Elementary), do a program explaining the poppies and the importance of them and then the kids would vote on who they want to represent them as a poppy nominee," Mariani shared. "We would then have these kids sell poppies in the community, and then they get to ride in the parade, and we announce the winners."

The program emphasized the importance of patriotism and encouraged the young participants to become future peacemakers. With the program no longer happening at the school, Mariani has had to cast a wider net to find poppy kids, including reaching out to parents through social media.

This year's poppy kids are Leland Imler and Rhys McFadden.

Along with participating in the parade, the poppy kids spread community pride along the parade route, she said.

"They make sure the flags on the streets are standing tall," she noted.

The parade ends with a ceremony in the cemetery.

"Bill Bachert is the master of ceremonies," Mariani said. "We start with music from the Bainbridge Band, followed by our speaker."

This year's speaker is Adam Walker, a member of the Air Force who was deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

"Then I will announce the poppy winners from last year and crown the poppy winners for this year," Mariani said. Last year's winners were Poppy King Braylin McConnell, Poppy Queen Gretchen Rank and third-place winner Cheyenne Dupler. The ceremony will conclude with a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps.

The festivities will also include a decorated bike contest with prizes.

Lunch will be provided by the American Legion Auxiliary Post 197 at the Bainbridge Fire Company following the ceremony. Lunch will be served free of charge and will include hot dogs and sauerkraut, macaroni and potato salads, chips, cake and other desserts and drinks.

Mariani invites everyone to come out and experience the small-town charm of the annual Memorial Day events.

"This is truly a hometown community event," she said. "Our community is tight-knit, and we gather together to honor our veterans. They mean everything to our small community."

For more information on the Memorial Day events, contact Mariani at 717-278-8484.