I bought a BUDDY Poppy, the vet and I had a good cry

[Omaha Steve]

I was in a hurry for a few items we forgot to get at the store. Big games on TV today. Green Bay and then the "preview bowl" at 3:15 my time. As I walked toward the door of the store, I noticed a proud old veteran in his late 70's politely asking people if they would like to make a small donation for a VFW poppy.

I get one for my mom every year for our Veteran's Day visit to see dad. I started to reach for my wallet. He noticed my AFSCME shirt I was wearing. He started to talk about the reasons he went to war in 1941.

The USA was fighting for ideology then. Our way of life and liberty was under attack around the globe. The FREEDOM to worship in our own way. The right to belong to a union. The simple pursuit of happiness. A free quality education. The promise of making a better life for your family. Entire families that might be coming to the USA because the old country didn't have many of the things we take for granted. Things we are in jeopardy of loosing today, because of apathy.

He started to say he left many a BUDDY behind in Europe. They died for our way of life and that never bothered him. He started to cry when he mentioned things are different in our current "police action" over there. We were tricked into a phony war on terror. How did we come to this? A war of propaganda where the oilmen and wealthy were pulling the strings. A small crowd had gathered as he spoke. Nobody offered a different point of view. This surprised me because the store is just down the street from the air base. This is a military community. Everybody reached for a wallet or purse for some cash. I didn't see many dry eyes.

I get Veteran's Day off as per my union contract, thanks to a Vet. I can be proud I'm a union member thanks to so many many forgotten Vets. I put all the cash I had in the canister. I walked away too choked up to talk, like a few other people.

By the time I was ready to leave, another small crowd was listening to whatever he was talking about. I knew from the smiles, it was something touching this group too.

My Packer game doesn't seem as important now. I wrote this while not paying much attention to the first hour of game.

http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=cmty.levelc&cid=127



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. The poem, "In Flander's Field," describes blowing red fields among the battleground of the fallen.

For more than 75 years, the VFW's Buddy Poppy program has raised millions of dollars in support of veterans' welfare and the well being of their dependents.

The VFW conducted its first poppy distribution before Memorial Day in 1922, becoming the first veterans' organization to organize a nationwide distribution. The poppy soon was adopted as the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

It was during the 1923 encampment that the VFW decided that VFW Buddy Poppies be assembled by disabled and needy veterans who would be paid for their work to provide them with some form of financial assistance. The plan was formally adopted during the VFW's 1923 encampment. The next year, disabled veterans at the Buddy Poppy factory in Pittsburgh assembled VFW Buddy Poppies. The designation "Buddy Poppy" was adopted at that time.

In February 1924, the VFW registered the name "Buddy Poppy" with the U.S. Patent Office. A certificate was issued on May 20, 1924, granting the VFW all trademark rights in the name of Buddy under the classification of artificial flowers. The VFW has 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, VFW Buddy Poppies are still assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA Hospitals.

The minimal assessment (cost of Buddy Poppies) to VFW units provides compensation to the veterans who assemble the poppies, provides financial assistance in maintaining state and national veterans' rehabilitation and service programs and partially supports the VFW National Home for orphans and widows of our nation's veterans.

In Flander's Field
by John McCrae
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.

[Yael]

1. Wow -- very moving story, Steve

Thanks for posting this. It really puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

[sam sarrha]

2. the poppies were white before the battle, the iron in so much blood spilled turned the poppies red

:cry: :grouphug:

[Nutmegger]

3. Thank you for this.

R&K

[Ninga]

4. Random acts of kindness...bless you Steve. K & R

[Mother Of Four]

5. Random acts of kindness....

Is what will save this sorry world.

Beauty and enlightenment from sadness, hugs for you steve.

Thank you for supporting our Vets.

My husband is a 22 yr vet from the Army, and works now as a Police Officer. If you don't mind I'm going to bookmark this and share it with him when he gets home in a few hours.

He see's so few RAOK these days, sometimes he comes home beaten up emotionally, sometimes physically. So many homeless Veterans, single mothers, drug addicts that WANT to get better...but live so hopelessly drugs are their only escape.

Very moving, very inspiring.

I'm Grateful.