May is traditionally known as “Buddy Poppy Month,” across the nation.
In Henryetta, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 539 marked that observance with a proclamation signed Thursday by mayor Michael Dickey. With him were VFW members.
Post members will be distributing red buddy poppies at Walmart and Homeland.
The local event is part of the annual event dating back to 1922 and is held along with the Memorial Day observance. The Buddy Poppy was designed to honor all of the soldiers in all of the wars, and it is the National flower of the National Memorial Day. All donations made to the VFW thru red buddy poppy drive helps veterans in so many ways.
Henryetta’s VFW helps veterans get their VA benefits, distributes food at the Feed the Vets program every 90 days, maintains all of the flags on Main Street, and we also sponsor the annual District 7 VFW Loyalty Days Family Freedom Festival to promote the American Spirit and community service.
In addition to those projects, the VFW places bronze military tombstone foot markers on the graves of soldiers, place flags on all military veterans graves at several cemeteries in Henryetta as well as the surrounding area cemeteries.