The Buddy Poppy
Among all the flowers that evoke the memories and emotions of war is the red poppy, which became associated with war after the publication of a poem written by Col. John McCrae of Canada.
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow,
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead.
Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved and now we lie,
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw,
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us, who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow,
In Flanders Fields.
The poem, In Flanders Fields, describes a battlefield of crosses dotted with red poppies. From the poem’s inception, the poppy has become known around the world as a memorial flower, a reminder of the lives lost in wartime.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars was the first veterans’ organization to adopt the poppy and develop a national distribution campaign. The VFW Buddy Poppies are assembled by disabled, needy, and aging veterans in VA hospitals and homes across the country. The costs of the Buddy Poppies provide compensation to the veterans who assemble them, financial assistance in maintaining veterans’ rehabilitation and service programs and partially supports the VFW National Home for orphans and widows of our nation’s veterans.
Several times a year, members of Post 175 will solicit your support by distributing Buddy Poppies at several Doylestown locations. Proceeds from Buddy Poppies go to Post 175’s Relief Fund which assists veterans and their families and perpetuates the memories of deceased veterans. Post 175 has no administrative costs for this program which means that 100% of your tax deductible contribution will go toward veterans assistance.