Okinawa Vets to distribute Buddy Poppies to raise money for community

OKINAWA CITY , Japan (April 4 , 2007) -- Traditional hand-made Buddy Poppies that "Honor the Dead by Helping the Living" will be distributed at two military bases by Veterans of Foreign Wars members in Okinawa on April 14 and 15.

At Kadena Air Base, members of VFW Post 11435 will distribute the hand-made red poppies in front of the Kadena Base Exchange, Kadena Commissary and the Kadena USO from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 14 and April 15.
  
At Camp Foster, members of VFW Post 9723 will distribute the traditional poppies in front of the commissary from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days.

"This is our biggest annual fundraiser," said Dwayne Ash, VFW Post 11435 commander. "Money raised through the distribution of buddy poppies helps us provide a variety of services to the local community here in Okinawa including educational scholarships for students and programs that help veterans as well as spouses of deployed active-duty military members."

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.

"There is no cost for the Buddy poppies, however, donations are greatly appreciated," said Ash.   "All donations will go to the Post Relief Fund to support local active duty and veteran families, scholarship programs, wreaths or flowers for memorial services, equipment for ROTC cadets and many similar programs," he said.

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.