We wear red poppies on Veterans Day because of this pioneering Minnesotan
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Today is Veterans Day. To honor the sacrifices made by those who have served, you might see people wearing red paper poppies from the American Legion Auxiliary.
The woman who established this tradition in the U.S. actually had deep Minnesota connections. Dr. Helen Hughes Hielscher was a crusader for veterans’ rights and a trailblazing woman in medicine who practiced in Blue Earth and Mankato in the beginning of the 20th century.
Randy Anderson, director of the Faribault County Historical Society, joined host Cathy Wurzer on Minnesota Now to tell listeners about the life of Dr. Helen, as she was known.
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