The annual nationwide fund raising for Veteran’s of Foreign Wars (VFW) took place May 7, 8 and 9 and the North Oakland VFW Post 334 set a new record selling $9,567.85 of Buddy Poppies. Top seller was Leland Uhl who sold $1,507.65 followed by Ernie Baker and Leo Thomas. At the Post meeting Thursday, May 14 the three of them were awarded the $15.00 gift certificates that Carl Slomczenski, owner of CJ’s restaurant, provided for the three Post members that sold the most poppies.
The money raised will be used to assist needy and disabled veterans in North Oakland County, the VFW National Home in Eaton Rapids, Michigan where many widows and orphans of men and women who lost their lives in the service of our country now live. The Post also supports a variety of youth activities as well as the Guardian Angel project headed by Charlotte Cito, which sends packages to service men and women currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
James Trumble, Senior Vice Commander of VFW Post 334, chaired the 2009 fund raising effort. The VFW has been selling Buddy Poppies since May. 1922 and disabled veterans assemble the poppies. From its inception the Buddy Poppy Program has helped the VFW live up to its motto, ‘To honor the dead by helping the living.? North Oakland VFW Post 334 meets the second Thursday of every month at the K of C Hall at 1400 Orion Road in Lake Orion at 7:30 pm. Veterans interested in joining this Post can call Ernie Baker at 248-391-6933.