Wednesday, November 1, 2000

On Saturday Nov. 11 all citizens will be implored by the various media outlets to remember the men and women who have served in the armed forces of our nation throughout its history. We will be asked to especially remember and honor those veterans who made the supreme sacrifice of their lives.

Across the nation in communities where VFW Posts are situated, their members will be stationed in front of businesses distributing a red Buddy Poppy to all the citizens as they pass by. Members of Peachtree City Post 9949 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States of America will be distributing these poppies on Veterans Day in Peachtree City. We will also be collecting contributions for our Veterans Relief Fund

The poppy has its genesis as a symbol of remembrance in the poem "In Flanders Fields" by Colonel John McCrae of the Canadian forces before the United States entered WW I. Replicas of the Flanders' poppy were distributed in some allied countries immediately after Armistice Day. In 1921 foreign made poppies were first distributed in the USA on a national basis by the Franco-American Children's League.

Prior to Memorial Day 1922 the VFW made its first nationwide poppy distribution using French-made poppies. The VFW used a mixture of French and New York manufactured poppies in its 1923 distribution.

Following the 1923 campaign, the VFW at its national encampment formalized the VFW Buddy Poppy distribution using poppies assembled by needy veterans who were paid for their efforts. In February 1924 the VFW registered the name "Buddy Poppy" with the U.S. Patent Office and a trademark was issued.

Today needy veterans in veterans hospitals, veterans homes and in their domiciles assemble the Buddy Poppy and are paid for their efforts. It is a national requirement that the proceeds from the Buddy Poppy Drive be placed in a separate Veterans Relief Fund. These funds may only be used to help needy veterans, their families, their widows and their orphans.

In addition to helping needy individual veterans whose needs are brought to our attention, members of Post 9949 make regular visits to all veterans domiciled in Southland Nursing Home taking them gifts. We are also issuing free membership in the VFW to these Southland residents who meet the foreign service requirement and have extended to all their resident veterans an offer of a free memorial brick to be placed at the Peachtree City Veterans Memorial.

Applications for VFW Memorial Bricks will be available during our Buddy Poppy distribution. You may request a brick as a permanent memorial to the service in the US armed forces of any ancestor, relative or friend regardless of where they live. A tax deductible donation of $25 will be accepted.

There is room for only 1,600 of these memorial bricks around the Peachtree City Veterans Memorial, so we urge you to subscribe for bricks for your loved ones before our space is filled. We currently have orders for 220 bricks of which 190+ bricks are in place. Stop by the Veterans Memorial near the flag poles at the corner of the City Office/Library Complex and see what a lovely memorial and setting we have to honor your beloved veterans.

Like the Marines, Post 9949 is in need of a few more men and women with qualified foreign service to join our post. Our largest pool of eligibles and members from World War II is being rapidly depleted by death. We need younger veterans to replace these stalwarts. Membership applications will be available during the Buddy Poppy Drive.

Don't forget your veterans: Pick up a Buddy Poppy as a remembrance and a tribute to their sacrifices.

Bob Konrad,Quartermaster VFW Post 9949

Peachtree City

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