Buddy Poppy Days - Key West The Newspaper

First row: American Legion Post 28 Commander Dan Dedeo, Jim King, Ray Cottom, Mark Tobin, VFW Cmd. Abe Conn; Second row: Mayor Craig Cates, Commissioners Jimmy Weekley and Richard Payne, Dan McDonald, Tom Truhan, Eddie Perez Sr., Jerry Hughes, Commissioners Sam Kaufman and Billy Wardlow, City Manager Jim Scholl; back row: Commissioner Margaret Romero, Community Services Director Rod Delostrinos, and Ken Thompson.

Key West Mayor Craig Cates, during Tuesday’s City Commission meeting, proclaimed November 7 – 11 as Buddy Poppy Days, in honor of Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The poppy has been named the official memorial flower for Veterans of Foreign Wars, as it represents the blood shed by American Service members. Since 1922, the VFW has been making and distributing these symbolic reminders to reiterate that the VFW will never forget their sacrifice.

With Veteran’s Day approaching, members of the VFW will be distributing them around town. The flowers are assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA hospitals. The proceeds of the poppy sales are donated to the VFW Relief Fund to assist these veterans in need.

Abe Conn, Commander of the Southernmost VFW Post 3911 encouraged the community to support this cause by donating when they encounter veterans selling the poppies at local groceries.

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