History of the VFW "Buddy”® Poppy
Before Memorial Day in 1922, the VFW conducted its first poppy
distribution, becoming the first veterans' organization to
organize a nationwide distribution. The poppy was soon adopted
as the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
of the United States, as it remains today.
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 and the
designation "Buddy Poppy" was adopted at that time.
In February 1924, the VFW registered the name "Buddy Poppy” with the U.S. Patent
Office. A certificate was issued on May 20, 1924, granting the organization all
trademark rights in the name of Buddy under the classification of artificial flowers.
We've made that trademark a guarantee that all poppies bearing that name and
the VFW label are genuine products of the work of disabled and needy veterans.
No other organization, firm or individual can legally use the name Buddy Poppy.
Today, our Buddy Poppies are still assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA
Hospitals. The VFW Buddy Poppy program provides compensation to the veterans
who assemble the poppies, provides financial assistance in maintaining state and
national veterans' rehabilitation and service programs and partially supports the
VFW National Home for Children.
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