Support veterans' Buddy Poppy event with donations at Fred Meyer Friday and Saturday

VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 3348 will be at the Shoreline Fred Meyer at 185th and Aurora on Friday and Saturday, November 5th and 6th, 2021 from 9:30am to 5:00pm with Buddy Poppies and smaller American Flags. 

All of your donations for these items go toward veterans in need.

All of our VFW Post 3348 veterans, who will be there, are vaccinated. 

The VFW is authorized by the U.S. government to use the term “Buddy Poppy” to raise funds for it charitable programs. 

We typically allocate our own donations to local organizations such as the following:

• The Veteran Homes in Orting and Port Orchard
• Shoreline Veterans Center (Compass Housing Alliance)
• Gold Star Memorials
• USO Northwest (SeaTac)
• Fisher House Puget Sound (serving the Seattle VA Hospital)

VFW volunteers have been offering Buddy Poppies since 1922. The poppies were inspired by the poem "In Flanders Field" about the dead of World War I.

        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.

--Colonel John McCrae

Every year, more than 13 million people donate for and wear a VFW Buddy Poppy to honor veterans. 

Since 1922, the VFW has offered “Buddy” Poppies in exchange for donations to raise funds for its charitable programs on behalf of needy and disabled veterans, and the widows and orphans of deceased veterans.

In keeping with its pledge “No one does more for veterans,” Buddy Poppy events are conducted exclusively by volunteers from VFW Posts.