The VFW Buddy Poppy program is one I’m having to share about for this Memorial Day 2021.
This entire weekend I keep running into the signature artificial flower. I continue to find the design simply elegant; their beauty reminding us of Memorial Day.
Over at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) website, there is a page on the Buddy Poppy program history. Furthermore, if you have a search on poppy at the VFW site it brings up this great listing of posts.
VFW Buddy Poppy Program
You’ll find it includes a beautiful short video the VFW reposted on May 7, 2021. The image I am referencing in my blog post title card for today is from it.
The Impact of the “Buddy” Poppy, YouTube, May 2, 2019
“This Memorial Day, the VFW is sharing the impact of the VFW “Buddy Poppy” in honor of the service men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
…
In February 1924, we registered the name Buddy Poppy with the U.S. Patent Office. A certificate was issued on May 20, 1924, granting our organization all trademark rights in the name of Buddy under the classification of artificial flowers. We’ve made that trademark a guarantee that all poppies bearing that name and the VFW label are genuine products of the work of disabled and needy veterans. No other organization, firm or individual can legally use the name Buddy Poppy.
Today, our Buddy Poppies are still assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA Hospitals.”
In addition, it is worth checking out their VFW Buddy Poppy online store. It includes their Buddy Poppy Bookmark that has the poem “In Flanders Fields” on the front side, and the VFW Buddy Poppy story on the reverse side. And under Home Sets of Flags, there is a Freedom Ring – Flag Guide. It is catching my attention. Especially with the description of “Prevents your flag from getting wrapped around the flagpole.”
Previous AnchoredScraps Memorial Day Blog Posts
This year with blogging twice a week instead of daily, I’m posting the day before Memorial Day. In previous years my Memorial Day posts were posting on the Holiday itself.
Here’s a recap listing of links to my previous Memorial Day blog posts, and on the poppy. My first year Memorial Day blogging here was on “In Flanders Fields” 5-23-2015. This was followed by Memorial Day Service Cross Medals Stamps 5-30-2016. Next, there was 1948 Moina Michael The Poppy Lady stamp 5-28-2017, and then In Flanders Fields Poem recited by Linus 5-26-2018. And then it is worth noting May 26, 2019, writing about USAA Poppy Wall of Honor that weekend, along with Memorial Day 2019 Remembrance Reflections, May 27, 2019. And finally, last year May 25, 2020, was on Moina Michael Poppy Stamp Cachet.
National Moment of Remembrance
And lastly, while my blogging schedule means I’m not posting tomorrow, I’m sharing this link at the usmemorialday.org website, about the National Moment of Remembrance, begun in 2000 by President Clinton. In it, it references 3 pm local time on Memorial Day for observing.
I’m closing today’s post with revered silence.
