About Poppy Day

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.

During the 1923 encampment the VFW decided that VFW “Buddy”® Poppies would be assembled by disabled and needy veterans who would be paid for their work to provide them with financial assistance. 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. Today, VFW Buddy Poppies are still assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA Hospitals. The poppies are sold by Vets throughout the country during May.

“In Flanders Field” by John McCrae

John McCrae is believed to have written the time honored poem “In Flanders Field” after noticing how poppy flowers still grew in the land devastated by war. Today the poppy is considered the “Flower of Remembrance.”

In Flanders Field — by John McCrea

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.

You can download a presentation about the history of Poppy Day: History of Poppy Day